Olefin polymerization with aluminum chloride-hydrocarbon complex catalyst

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF POLYMERIZING OLEFINS CONTAINING 3 TO 5 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WITH AN ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-HYDROCARBON COMPLEX CATALYST IN A CONVERSION ZONE CONTAINING HEAT EXCHANGE SURFACES, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES INTRODUCING A CHARGING STOCK CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF SAID OLEFINS AND LIGHT PARAFFINIC HYDROCARBON DILUENT IN LIQUID PHASE INTO A CONVERSION ZONE ALSO INTRODUCING INTO SAID CONVERSION ZONE A RECYCLE STREAM OF SMALL DROPLETS OF ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-HYDROCARBON COMPLEX DISPERSED IN HYDROCARBONS AT A RATE IN THE RANGE OF 1 TO 10 TIMES THE RATE OF CHARGING STOCK STREAM INTRODUCTION, ADDING MAKE-UP ALUMINUM CHLORIDE TO THE CONVERSION ZONE AT A RATE IN THE RANGE OF .5 TO 1.5 WEIGHT PERCENT BASED ON TOTAL OLEFINS CHARGED, MAINTAINING THE CONVERSION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 0* F. TO 80* F. BY IMPELLING A CONTINUOUS HYDROCARBON PHASE CONSISTING OF CHARGING STOCK COMPONENTS AND REACTION PRODUCTS AND CONTAINING SUSPENDED DROPLETS OF ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-HYDROCARBON COMPLEX AGAINST SAID HEAT EXCHANGE SURFACES WHILE COOLING SAID SURFACES WITH A REFRIGERANT, SETTLING COMPLEX DROPLETS FROM THE REACTION MIXTURE BELOW THE CONVERSIN ZONE TO OBTAIN A CONCENTRATION OF COMPLEX DROPLETS IN HYDROCARBONS IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 5 TO 50 COLUME PERCENT, PUMPING SAID CONCENTRATED SUSPENSION OF DROPLETS TO BREAK THEM INTO SMALL DROPLETS AND PROVIDE SAID RECYCLE STEAM, RECYCLING SAID STREAM FOR INTRODUCTION TO THE REACTOR BEFORE APPRECIABLE COALESCENCE OF THE COMPLEX PARTICLES OCCURS SO THAT THE RECYCLED STREAM WILL CONSIST CHIEFLY OF A HYDROCARBON CARRIER LIQUID AND RECYCLED COMPLEX WILL BE CONTAINED THEREIN AS SMALL DISPERSED DROPLETS, SEPARATING REMAINING CATALYST MATERIAL FROM THE PRODUCT STREAM AND FRACTIONATING THE CATALYST-FREE PRODUCT STREAM TO OBTAIN AT LEAST ONE LIGHT HYDROCARBON FRACTION AND A HEAVY POLYMER FRACTION.

Claim 2

THE METHOD OF POLYMERIZING OLEFINS CONTAINING 3 TO 5 CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE WITH AN ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-HYDROCARBON COMPLEX CATALYST IN A CONVERSION ZONE CONTAINING HEAT EXCHANGE SURFACES, WHICH METHOD COMPRISES INTRODUCING A CHARGING STOCK CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF SAID OLEFINS AND LIGHT PARAFFINIC HYDROCARBON DILUENT IN LIQUID PHASE INTO A CONVERSION ZONE ALSO INTRODUCING INTO SAID CONVERSION ZONE A RECYCLE STREAM OF SMALL DROPLETS OF ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-HYDROCARBON COMPLEX DISPERSED IN HYDROCARBONS AT A RATE IN THE RANGE OF 1 TO 10 TIMES THE RATE OF CHARGING STOCK STREAM INTRODUCTION, ADDING MAKE-UP ALUMINUM CHLORIDE TO THE CONVERSION ZONE AT A RATE IN THE RANGE OF .5 TO 1.5 WEIGHT PERCENT BASED ON TOTAL OLEFINS CHARGED, MAINTAINING THE CONVERSION ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE IN THE RANGE OF 0* F. TO 80* F. BY IMPELLING A CONTINUOUS HYDROCARBON PHASE CONSISTING OF CHARGING STOCK COMPONENTS AND REACTION PRODUCTS AND CONTAINING SUSPENDED DROPLETS OF ALUMINUM CHLORIDE-HYDROCARBON COMPLEX AGAINST SAID HEAT EXCHANGE SURFACES WHILE COOLING SAID SURFACES WITH A REFRIGERANT, SETTLING COMPLEX DROPLETS FROM THE REACTION MIXTURE BELOW THE CONVERSIN ZONE TO OBTAIN A CONCENTRATION OF COMPLEX DROPLETS IN HYDROCARBONS IN THE RANGE OF ABOUT 5 TO 50 COLUME PERCENT, PUMPING SAID CONCENTRATED SUSPENSION OF DROPLETS TO BREAK THEM INTO SMALL DROPLETS AND PROVIDE SAID RECYCLE STEAM, RECYCLING SAID STREAM FOR INTRODUCTION TO THE REACTOR BEFORE APPRECIABLE COALESCENCE OF THE COMPLEX PARTICLES OCCURS SO THAT THE RECYCLED STREAM WILL CONSIST CHIEFLY OF A HYDROCARBON CARRIER LIQUID AND RECYCLED COMPLEX WILL BE CONTAINED THEREIN AS SMALL DISPERSED DROPLETS, SEPARATING REMAINING CATALYST MATERIAL FROM THE PRODUCT STREAM AND FRACTIONATING THE CATALYST-FREE PRODUCT STREAM TO OBTAIN AT LEAST ONE LIGHT HYDROCARBON FRACTION AND A HEAVY POLYMER FRACTION.