Elbow and horizontal configurations in a loop reactor

US9340627B1 · kind B1 · utility

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: May 21, 2014
• Grant date: May 17, 2016
• Expiry date: May 21, 2034

Classification

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

Abstract

A reactor system containing one or more loop reactors for olefin polymerization is provided. The loop reactors include vertical sections, elbow sections, and/or horizontal sections connected into one or more loop reaction zones to polymerize an olefin monomer in the presence of a liquid diluent into a slurry comprising particles of a polyolefin polymer. The reactor system footprint is reduced to increase production efficiency and save cost, while maintaining a high processing capacity. In one embodiment a horizontal length (LH) of at least one horizontal section is greatly reduced with maintained processing capacity. In another embodiment, at least one elbow section of the reactor system is configured to maintain a Dean number (Dn) of the slurry flowing therein to be higher than 3,000,000.