Method for operating a gas phase polymerization reactor

A method of operating a gas phase fluidized bed polymerization reactor to produce a polymer product comprising:

• increasing a production rate of the same polymer product by replacing all or a portion of nitrogen fed into the reactor with an alternate inert fluid having a higher molecular weight and higher heat capacity than nitrogen while holding a condensate content of one or more inlet streams to the reactor at a value of less than or equal to about 17.4 weight percent, wherein the alternate inert fluid is noncondensable under reactor conditions.

A method of increasing production in a gas phase fluidized bed polymerization reactor to produce a polymer product comprising:

• selecting an alternate inert fluid and replacing all or a portion of nitrogen fed into the polymerization reactor with the alternate inert fluid, wherein the alternate inert fluid is noncondensable under reactor conditions;
• and
• maintaining a condensate content of less than or equal to 17.4 weight percent in one or more reactor inlet streams to the polymerization reactor, wherein the production rate of the same polymer product after replacing all or a portion of the nitrogen is greater than before replacing all or a portion of the nitrogen.

A method of increasing heat removal from a gas phase fluidized bed polymerization reactor to produce a polymer product comprising increasing heat capacity and molecular weight of a fluid used to convey catalyst to the polymerization reactor while increasing the production rate of the same polymer product and maintaining a condensate content of less than or equal to 17.4 weight percent in one or more inlet streams to the polymerization reactor, wherein the fluid is noncondensable under reactor conditions.

A method of reducing the amount of nitrogen build-up in a gas phase fluidized bed polymerization reactor to produce a polymer product comprising reducing or eliminating the amount of nitrogen used to convey catalyst into the polymerization reactor while increasing the production rate of the same polymer product and maintaining a condensate content of less than or equal to 17.4 weight percent in one or more inlet streams to the polymerization reactor, wherein the fluid is noncondensable under reactor conditions.