Preparation of a solid Ziegler catalyst by using a multi-functional, pivoting, inclinable reactor

A method for the preparation of a solid procatalyst suitable for the polymerization of olefins wherein the procatalyst comprises a transition metal compound reacted with a carrier by carrying out in the method the following consecutive steps:

• a) feeding the transition metal compound and particles of the carrier into a vessel, which in its initial position has an essentially horizontal bottom sieve,
• b) mixing and reacting the transition metal compound and the particles of the carrier to produce raw procatalyst particles and a liquid reaction residue,
• c) removing the liquid reaction residue through said bottom sieve of the vessel,
• d) washing the raw procatalyst particles with a washing liquid, so that impurities in the raw procatalyst are removed through said bottom sieve,
• e) drying the washed raw procatalyst particles by conducting an inert gas therethrough to give said solid procatalyst, and
• f) removing the solid procatalyst from the vessel;
• provided that the liquid reaction residue or the washing liquid containing said impurities from said raw procatalyst is removed at step (c) or (d), respectively, according to the sub-steps of:
• i) keeping the vessel inclined at an acute angle with respect to its initial position,
• ii) letting the raw procatalyst settle to cover an inclined side of the bottom sieve, and
• iii) filter-decanting the liquid reaction residue away essentially through the side of the bottom sieve, which is uncovered by the raw procatalyst particles.