Gas phase fluidized bed method and ethylene homo- and copolymers obtained using said method

US6649709B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Basell Polyolefine GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Peter Bauer · Ludwigshafen, DE
• Armin Lange · Heidelberg, DE
• Rainer Karer · Kaiserslautern, DE
• Philipp Rosendorfer · Neustadt, DE
• Manfred Hecker · Linz, DE
• Gunther Schweier · Osthofen, DE
• Wolfgang Micklitz · Neustadt, DE
• Kaspar Evertz · Schifferstadt, DE
• Hans-Jacob Feindt · Flemington, US

Key dates

• Filing date: May 31, 2000
• Grant date: Nov 18, 2003
• Expiry date: May 31, 2020

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C08F10/02
• WIPO field: Macromolecular chemistry, polymers
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A continuous vapor-phase fluidized-bed process for the preparation of ethylene homopolymers and copolymers having a density of from 0.87 to 0.97 g/cm3 in which ethylene or mixtures of ethylene and C3-C8 a-monoolefins are (co)polymerized in the presence of a supported chromium catalyst in the polymerization zone of a vapor-phase fluidized-bed reactor under pressures ranging from 1 to 100 bar and at temperatures ranging from 30° to 125° C. in the vapor phase in an agitated bed of bulk material comprising particulate polymer, the resultant heat of polymerization is removed by cooling the recirculated reactor gas and the resulting (co)polymer is removed from the vapor-phase fluidized-bed reactor, wherein, for the preparation of a (co)polymer of a specific density d, the (co)polymerization is carried out at a temperature which is in a range restricted by an upper envelope defined by equation I and a lower envelope defined by equation II in which the variables have the following meanings:TH is the highest reaction temperature in ° C.;TL is the lowest reaction temperature in ° C.;d′ is the numerical value of the density d of the (co)polymer to be synthesized.