Method for transforming a single reactor line

• US 8,710,161 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Issued: 04/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Original Assignee: Total Research & Technology Feluy SA (Totalenergies Se)
• Inventors: Fouarge, Louis, Duchesne, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Teskin, Fred M
• Application Number:
  US12/280,620
• Publication Number:
  US 20110166302A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,624 Days
• Field of Search: 526/64, 526/65, 422/132, 422/134, 528/501, 294/011
• 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 vapor and wherein the vapor is sent to a system of at least two separating columns allowing the separation of its constituents into monomer, diluent and comonomer.

Claims

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

a process selected from;

adding a second single reactor line upstream 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 legs, and wherein the first existing single reactor line is transformed by;

rearranging connections between the 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 comprises two or more settling legs configured to sequentially discharge settled polymer slurry, 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.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the method of transforming is the process comprising transforming the first existing single reactor line into the double reactor line, and wherein the first reactor line has a smaller capacity than that of the second reactor line.

3. The method of claim 1, 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.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the settling legs are configured to alternatively or simultaneously sequentially discharge the settled polymer slurry.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the settling legs are configured to sequentially discharge the settled polymer slurry in a predetermined sequential pattern so that an aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is more than 50% of a time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg, wherein the aggregate time of discharge is a sum of a duration over which a discharge valve of each settling leg is open, said sum being across all settling legs and being limited to a single opening of each settling leg.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is more than 80% of the time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is more than 95% of the time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is from 95% to 100% of the time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the continuous transfer line is equipped with settling legs.

10. 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

sequentially discharging polymer product from the reaction vessel, wherein the reaction vessel comprises;

a second single reactor line upstream 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 legs, wherein the first existing single reactor line is transformed into a double reactor line by;

rearranging connections between the 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.

11. The process of claim 10 further comprising recycling the monomer, diluent and comonomer back to any of the reactor lines.

12. The process of claim 10, wherein sequentially discharging the polymer product comprises discharging the polymer product through two or more settling legs of the reaction vessel.

13. The process of claim 12, wherein sequentially discharging the polymer product comprises alternatively or simultaneously discharging the polymer product through the two or more settling legs of the reaction vessel.

14. The process of claim 12, wherein sequentially discharging the polymer product is performed at in a predetermined sequential pattern so that an aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is more than 50% of a time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg, wherein the aggregate time of discharge is a sum of a duration over which a discharge valve of each settling leg is open, said sum being across all settling legs and being limited to a single opening of each settling leg.

15. The process of claim 14, wherein the aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is more than 80% of the time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg.

16. The process of claim 14, wherein the aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is more than 95% of the time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg.

17. The process of claim 14, wherein the aggregate time of discharge for all settling legs is from 95% to 100% of the time duration between two triggerings of the same settling leg.

18. The process of claim 10, wherein the continuous transfer line is equipped with settling legs.