Method for Transforming a Single Reactor Line

• US 20110166302A1
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Published: 07/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Total Petrochemicals Research Feluy (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Fouarge, Louis, Duchesne, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,710,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 526/65
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/1818 in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/1837 Loop-type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00176 outside the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00619 Controlling the weight
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00024 Revamping, retrofitting or modernisation of existing plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00031 Semi-batch or fed-batch processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00033 Continuous processes
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0004 Processes in series
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00094 Jackets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00184 controlling the weight of reactants in the reactor vessel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00254 Formation of unwanted polymer, such as "pop-corn"
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/007 by sedimentation
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 10/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 110/02 Ethene
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/001 Multistage polymerisation processes characterised by a change in reactor conditions without deactivating the intermediate polymer C08F295/00, C08F297/00 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/01 characterised by special features of the polymerisation apparatus used
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 2/14 Organic medium
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/14 Monomers containing five or more carbon atoms
• CPC Class Codes: C08F 210/16 Copolymers of ethene with alpha-alkenes, e.g. EP rubbers
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49716 Converting

Abstract

The present invention discloses a method for transforming a single reactor line into a double reactor line wherein the existing single reactor line is equipped with a flash tank for separating the solid polymer product from the flash vapour and wherein the vapour is sent to a system of at least two separating columns allowing the separation of its constituents into monomer, diluent and comonomer.

Claims

1-8. -8. (canceled)

9. A method for transforming a single reactor line into a double reactor line comprising:

a process selected from;

adding a second single reactor line in front of a first existing single reactor line, wherein the second single reactor line is smaller than or of the same size as the first existing single reactor line; and

transforming the first existing single reactor line into a double reactor line, wherein the first existing single reactor line comprises at least 6 settling legs adapted to receive a polymer from a reaction vessel, wherein the settling legs are operably connected to the first existing single reactor line via connections and wherein the first existing single reactor line is transformed by;

rearranging the connections between the settling legs in order to obtain a first reactor line and a second reactor line, wherein the first reactor line is smaller than or of the same size as the second reactor line;

adding a pump to the first reactor line, the second reactor line or combinations thereof; and

adding a continuous transfer line to transport polymer from the first reactor line to the second reactor line; and

wherein the first existing single reactor line is equipped with a flash tank for separating solid polymer product from flash vapor and wherein the flash vapor is sent to a system of at least two separating columns allowing the separation of its constituents into monomer, diluent and comonomer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first reactor line has a smaller capacity than that of the second reactor line.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein polymer product exiting the first reactor line is sent to the second reactor line through a transfer line connected to a by-pass line installed on the second reactor line.

12. A double reactor system obtainable by the method of claim 9.

13. A polymerization process comprising:

introducing an olefin monomer into a reaction vessel;

contacting the olefin monomer with a catalyst system within the reaction vessel; and

withdrawing polymer product from the reaction vessel via a double reactor line system, wherein the double reactor line system comprises;

a second single reactor line in front of a first existing single reactor line, wherein the second single reactor line is smaller than or of the same size as the first existing single reactor line;

or

a first existing single reactor line comprising at least 6 settling legs adapted to receive the polymer product from the reaction vessel;

wherein the settling legs are operably connected to the first existing single reactor line via connections and wherein the first existing single reactor line is transformed into a double reactor line by;

rearranging the connections between the settling legs in order to obtain a first reactor line and a second reactor line, wherein the first reactor line is smaller than or of the same size as the second reactor line;

adding a pump to the first reactor line, the second reactor line or combinations thereof; and

adding a continuous transfer line to transport polymer from the first reactor line to the second reactor line; and

wherein the first existing single reactor line is equipped with a flash tank for separating solid polymer product from flash vapor and wherein the flash vapor is sent to a system of at least two separating columns allowing the separation of its constituents into monomer, diluent and comonomer.

14. The process of claim 13 further comprising recycling the monomer, diluent and comonomer back to any of the reactor lines.