Olefin polymerization process

• US 10,640,582 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2016
• Issued: 05/05/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Original Assignee: SABIC Global Technologies BV (Government of Saudi Arabia)
• Inventors: Bronsaer, Petrus Johannes Hubertus, van Miltenburg, Arjen
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Rip A
• Application Number:
  US16/062,153
• Publication Number:
  US 20180362672A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 3/06 Flash distillation
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 5/0081 Feeding the steam or the vapours
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/00 Processes of polymerisation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/01 characterised by special features of the polymerisation apparatus used
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/34 Polymerisation in gaseous state
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/06 Propene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/16 Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2400/02 Control or adjustment of polymerization parameters

Abstract

The present invention relates to an olefin polymerization process comprising polymerization of at least one olefin monomer in one or more polymerization reactors. In addition, the present invention relates to a system for vapor phase polymerization of at least one polymerizable monomer.

Claims

1. An olefin polymerization process comprising polymerization of at least one olefin monomer in one or more polymerization reactors wherein the polymerization process is carried out in an apparatus comprising:

a) one or more reactor vessels to which olefin monomer and catalyst components can be added and which contain an agitated bed of forming polymer particles;

b) a means for removing a stream comprising polymer particles from the reactor;

c) a means for removing a gas-liquid stream comprising unreacted olefin monomers from the reactor;

d) a means for withdrawing a liquid recycle stream from the gas-liquid stream;

e) a means for recycling the gas-liquid stream of c) to the reactor;

wherein the process further comprises the steps of i) withdrawing a gaseous stream from the stream comprising polymer particles;

ii) contacting the liquid recycle stream from d) with said gaseous stream from i) thereby forming a mixture;

iii) withdrawing a liquid stream from the mixture of ii);

iv) recycling a vapor stream from the mixture of ii) to the polymerization reactor.

2. An olefin polymerization process according to claim 1, wherein the gaseous stream originating from i) is compressed before contacting the gaseous stream with a liquid recycle stream from d).

3. An olefin polymerization process according to claim 1, wherein the vapor stream from the mixture of ii) is compressed before recycling the vapor stream to the polymerization reactor.

4. An olefin polymerization process according to claim 1, wherein step d) is carried out after cooling of the gas-liquid stream.

5. An olefin polymerization process according to claim 1, wherein a pressure prevailing in step ii) is lower than a pressure prevailing in the polymerization reactor.

6. An olefin polymerization process according to claim 1, wherein the process is a homopolymer production process.

7. An olefin polymerization process according to claim 1, wherein the process is an ethylene copolymer production process.

8. A system suitable for a vapor phase polymerization of at least one polymerizable monomer according to the process of claim 1, comprising one or more reactor vessels to which olefin monomer and catalyst components are added and which contains an agitated bed of forming polymer particles, a means for feeding monomer feed to said one or more reactor vessels, a means for removing a stream comprising polymer particles from the one or more reactor vessels, a means for removing a gas-liquid stream comprising unreacted olefin monomers from the one or more reactor vessels, a means for withdrawing a liquid recycle stream from the gas-liquid stream and a means for recycling the gas-liquid stream to the one or more reactor vessels, said system further comprising a means for withdrawing a gaseous stream from the stream comprising polymer particles, a means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream thereby forming a mixture, a means for withdrawing a liquid stream from the mixture, and a means for recycling a vapor stream from the mixture to the one or more reactor vessels.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream comprises a single stage flash vessel.

10. A system according to claim 8, wherein said means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream comprises a multi stage vapor-liquid contacting column.

11. A system according to claim 8, wherein said means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream comprises a reboiler and/or condenser.

12. A system suitable for a vapor phase polymerization of at least one polymerizable monomer, comprising one or more reactor vessels to which olefin monomer and catalyst components are added and which contains an agitated bed of forming polymer particles, a means for feeding monomer feed to said one or more reactor vessels, a means for removing a stream comprising polymer particles from the one or more reactor vessels, a means for removing a gas-liquid stream comprising unreacted olefin monomers from the one or more reactor vessels, a means for withdrawing a liquid recycle stream from the gas-liquid stream and a means for recycling the gas-liquid stream to the one or more reactor vessels, said system further comprising a means for withdrawing a gaseous stream from the stream comprising polymer particles, a means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream thereby forming a mixture, a means for withdrawing a liquid stream from the mixture, and a means for recycling a vapor stream from the mixture to the one or more reactor vessels.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream comprises a single stage flash vessel.

14. A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream comprises a multi stage vapor-liquid contacting column.

15. A system according to claim 12, wherein said means for contacting the liquid recycle stream with the gaseous stream comprises a reboiler and/or condenser.