Continuous polymerization method and apparatus

An apparatus for continuous polymerization, comprising:

• a reaction vessel main body having an inner surface of cylindrical shape, wherein a center axis of said main body is oriented in a direction crossing a horizontal plane;
• an inner cylinder configured for rotation about said center axis, which has an outer face which defines a coaxial double cylinder with the inner face of said main body and, wherein said inner cylinder has a closed upper end face and a closed lower end face and a value (b/R.sub.1) is in a range of from 0.4 to 0.8, wherein R.sub.1 is a radius of said inner cylinder and said b is a difference between a radius of said inner cylinder and a radius of said inner surface of said main body;
• a rotating means to rotate the inner cylinder round said axis at an angular velocity (.omega.), wherein said angular velocity (.omega.) fulfills the mathematical limitation of the following formula:
• Ta=(.omega..times.R.sub.1 .times.(b/.upsilon.)).times.(b/R.sub.1).sup.1/2 and
• Ta.sub.cr <Ta<2,000,
• wherein .upsilon. is a dynamic viscosity of a material solution for polymerization;
• Ta includes a value specifying conditions for producing Taylor vortices in a rotating fluid and Ta.sub.cr is a lowest limiting value for producing Taylor vortices in a homogenous system;
• an inlet to supply said material solution for polymerization, said inlet being arranged, on one of the upper and lower end faces of said main body, at a position corresponding to one of the upper and lower end faces of said inner cylinder;
• an outlet to take out a reaction mixture of said polymerization, said outlet being arranged, on an outer of the upper and lower end faces of said main body, at a position corresponding to the other of the upper and lower end faces of said inner cylinder;
• a supplying means to continuously supply said material solution through said inlet into said main body;
• and
• means for continuously taking out said reaction mixture through said outlet.