Systems and methods for real-time catalyst particle size control in a polymerization reactor

A polymerization reactor system comprising:

• (a) a comminution device configured to reduce a first catalyst system component, having a first average particle size, to produce a reduced catalyst system component having a reduced average particle size;
• (b) a polymerization reactor configured to contact a transition metal-based catalyst system comprising the reduced catalyst system component with an olefin monomer under polymerization conditions to produce an olefin polymer;
• and
• (c) a controller operative to control the reduced average particle size according to a process variable in the polymerization reactor system and/or according to a property of the olefin polymer;
• wherein the polymerization reactor is a single fluidized bed reactor, more than one fluidized bed reactor, a combination of a fluidized bed reactor and a slurry reactor, or a combination of a fluidized bed reactor and a solution reactor;
• and
• wherein the process variable in the polymerization reactor system and/or the property of the olefin polymer comprise(s):
• a fluidizing gas velocity in the fluidized bed reactor;
• a bed density in the fluidized bed reactor;
• a bed height in the fluidized bed reactor;
• a gas/powder ratio in the fluidized bed reactor;
• a static build-up in the fluidized bed reactor;
• or
• any combination thereof.

A method of operating a polymerization reactor system, the method comprising:

• (i) reducing an average particle size of a first catalyst system component to produce a reduced catalyst system component having a reduced average particle size, wherein the first catalyst system component comprises an activator-support comprising a solid oxide treated with an electron-withdrawing anion;
• (ii) introducing a transition metal-based catalyst system comprising the reduced catalyst system component and an olefin monomer into a polymerization reactor within the polymerization reactor system, wherein the polymerization reactor system comprises a loop slurry reactor;
• (iii) contacting the transition metal-based catalyst system comprising the reduced catalyst system component with the olefin monomer under polymerization conditions to produce an olefin polymer;
• (iv) monitoring a process variable in the polymerization reactor system and/or a property of the olefin polymer, and
• (v) when the process variable and/or the property has/have reached a predetermined level, adjusting the reduced average particle size.