Continuous slurry polymerization process and appparatus

A process for producing polymer in a continuous slurry loop reactor comprising:

• reacting a monomer in a hydrocarbon diluent to form a polymerization slurry of polymer solids in a liquid medium;
• discharging a portion of the polymerization slurry as slurry effluent which comprises a slurry of discharged polymer solids in a discharged liquid medium through at least two discharge conduits;
• combining the effluent from at least two of the discharge conduits;
• flashing the combined effluent in a first flash to form a first flash vapor and a first flash slurry;
• and
• condensing at least a portion of the first flash vapor without compression.

A process for producing polymer in a continuous slurry loop reactor comprising feeding catalyst into the reactor from multiple catalyst inlets;

• wherein the process further comprises:
• multiple feed inlets for at least one of monomer, co-monomer, co-catalyst, diluent, polymer modifier, process additive, or mixtures thereof;
• at least one circulator in the reactor and the circulator comprises a pump and/or a motor driven device to increase the pressure of the circulating slurry in the loop reactor;
• at least one catalyst inlet and the at least one feed inlet are located at the suction end and discharge end, respectively, of a circulator;
• and wherein:
• the catalyst inlets are located within 10% of the points of symmetry of the loop reactor;
• the circulators are located within 10% of the points of symmetry of the loop reactor;
• the feed inlets are located within 10% of the points of symmetry of the loop reactor;
• the loop reactor has a length of at least 750 feet;
• the loop reactor has at least 6 legs;
• and
• the loop reactor has a volume of at least 10,000 gallons.

A process for producing polymer in a continuous slurry loop reactor comprising:

• feeding catalyst into the reactor from multiple catalyst inlets in such a manner to maintain constant reaction kinetics;
• reacting a monomer in a hydrocarbon diluent to form a polymerization slurry of polymer solids in a liquid medium;
• discharging a portion of the polymerization slurry as slurry effluent which comprises a slurry of discharged polymer solids in a discharged liquid medium through at least two discharge conduits;
• combining the effluent from at least two of the discharge conduits;
• flashing the combined effluent in a first flash to form a first flash vapor and a first flash slurry;
• and
• condensing at least a portion of the first flash vapor without compression;
• wherein:
• the discharge of slurry effluent through at least two discharge conduit is continuous;
• the effluent from all discharge conduits is combined into a single transfer conduit;
• multiple feed inlets for at least one of monomer, co-monomer, co-catalyst, diluent, polymer modifier, process additive, or mixtures thereof;
• the discharge conduits are located within 10% of the points of symmetry of the loop reactor;
• at least one discharge conduit is located in a bottom run of the loop reactor;
• the loop reactor has a length of at least 750 feet;
• the loop reactor has at least 6 legs;
• and
• the loop reactor has a volume of at least 10,000 gallons.

A slurry loop reactor comprising

• multiple catalyst inlets;
• at least one feed inlet;
• at least one discharge conduit;
• and at least one circulator in the reactor;
• wherein the catalyst inlets are located within 45% of the points of symmetry of the loop reactor.