Elbow and horizontal configurations in a loop reactor

US8932527B1 · kind B1 · utility

Assignee

• Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP · US

Inventors

• Scott E. Kufeld · Houston, US
• Joel A. Mutchler · Porter, US
• Ralph W. Romig · Kingwood, US
• John D. Stewart · Friendswood, US
• Catherine M. Gill · Kingwood, US
• Bruce E. Kreischer · Humble, US
• John D. Hottovy · Kingwood, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Aug 17, 2014
• Grant date: Jan 13, 2015
• Expiry date: Aug 17, 2034

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B01J2219/24
• WIPO field: Chemical engineering
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Loop reactors for olefin polymerization and processes utilizing such loop reactors are described herein. In one or more embodiments, the loop reactor generally includes a plurality of vertical sections; a plurality of elbow sections connecting the vertical sections to either a horizontal section having a horizontal length (LH) or another elbow section, at least one elbow section having an internal diameter (d), a radius (Rc) of an inner curvature and a chord length (W) and wherein the horizontal length (LH) is from 0 feet to 3 feet, the chord length (W) is 250 inches or less and a ratio (Rc/d) of the radius (Rc) of the inner curvature to the internal diameter (d) of the at least one elbow section is maintained from 2 to 4; and at least one loop reaction zone configured to polymerize an olefin monomer in the presence of a liquid diluent into a slurry comprising particles of a polyolefin polymer.