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US 6,806,324 B2Granted
High solids slurry polymerization using heat exchange to condense the flashed diluent
AssigneePhillips Petroleum Company
InventorsJohn D. Hottovy, Harvey D. Hensley, David J. Przelomski, Teddy H. Cymbaluk, Robert K. Franklin, III, Ethelwoldo P. Perez
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An olefin polymerization process wherein monomer, diluent and catalyst are circulated in a continuous loop reactor and product slurry is recovered by means of a continuous product take off. The product slurry is exposed to a pressure drop in a flash zone, producing a second slurry and vaporized diluent. The vaporized diluent produced in said flash chamber is condensed by heat exchange, without compression.
Claims19
A polymerization process comprising:
- polymerizing, in a loop reaction zone, at least one olefin monomer in a liquid diluent to produce a first fluid slurry comprising liquid diluent and solid olefin polymer particles, wherein said reaction zone has a volume of greater than 200,000 gallons;
- maintaining a concentration of solid olefin polymer particles in said first slurry in said zone of greater than 40 weight percent based on the weight of said polymer particles and the weight of said liquid diluent;
- continuously withdrawing said first slurry comprising withdrawn liquid diluent and withdrawn solid polymer particles, as an intermediate product of said process;
- exposing said intermediate product of said process to a pressure drop in a flash zone, producing a second slurry and vaporized diluent;
- and
- condensing said vaporized diluent by heat exchange, without compression.
3 more elements
A polymerization process comprising:
- polymerizing, in a loop reaction zone, at least one olefin monomer in a liquid diluent to produce a fluid slurry comprising liquid diluent and solid olefin polymer particles, wherein a continuously of solid olefin polymer particles in said first slurry in said zone is greater than 40 weight percent based on the weight of said polymer particles and the weight of said liquid diluent and wherein said reaction zone has a volume of greater than 200,000 gallons;
- continuously withdrawn without the aid of a settling leg the slurry comprising withdrawn liquid diluent and withdrawn solid polymer particles, as an intermediate product of said process;
- passing the intermediate product through a flash line;
- and
- flashing at least a majority of the withdrawn liquid diluent during said passing step thereby producing a concentrated intermediate product and vaporized diluent.
2 more elements
A polimerization process comprising:
- polymerizing, in a loop reaction zone, at least one olefin monomer in a liquid diluent to produce a fluid slurry comprising liquid diluent and solid olefin polymer particles, wherein a continuously of solid olefin polymer particles in said first slurry in said zone is greater than 40 weight percent based on the weight of said polymer particles and the weight of said liquid diluent and wherein said reaction zone has a volume of greater than 200,000 gallons;
- continuously withdrawing without the aid of a settling leg the slurry comprising withdrawn liquid diluent and withdrawn solid polymer particles, as an intermediate product of said process;
- passing the intermediate product through a flash line;
- and
- indirectly heating the intermediate product within the flash line so that at least a majority of the withdrawn liquid diluent is vaporized, thereby producing a concentrate intermediate product and vaporized diluent.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.