Process of conducting exothermic bulk polymerization

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR THE MASS POLYMERIZATION OF STYRENE WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING THE STYRENE INTO A ZONE HAVING HOLLOWING INDIRECT HEAT-TRANSFER CONDUITS EXTENDING THROUGH IT, THE CONDUITS BEING SO ARRANGED THAT SUBSTANTIALLY EVERY PORTION OF THE STYRENE IS WITHIN TWO INCHES OF THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF A CONDUIT AND BEING OF SUCH SIZE AS TO PRESENT AN OUTSIDE SURFACE AREA IN THE ZONE BETWEEN 3 AND ABOUT 30 SQUARE FEET PER CUBIC FOOT OF STYRENE, STARTING POLYMERIZATION BY HEATING THE CONDUITS TO RAISE THE STYRENE TO A PREDETERMINED POLYMERIZING TEMPERATURE, ALLOWING POLYMERIZATION TO PROCEED WHILE PERIODICALLY DETECTING THE TEMPERATURE OF THE POLYMERIZING STYRENE AT A PLURALITY OF POINTS SPACED THROUGHOUT THE ZONE AT A FREQUENCY OF ONE POINT FOR AT MOST EVERY SIX CUBIC FEET OF STYRENE AND PASSING COOLING FLUID AT A TEMPERATURE BELOW THE POLYMERIZING TEMPERATURE THROUGH THE INSIDE OF ALL CONDUITS WHENEVER THE TEMPERATURE OF ANY OF THE DETECTING POINTS EXCEEDS THE PREDETERMINED POLYMERIZING TEMPERATURE, AND WITHDRAWING POLYSTYRENE FROM THE ZONE WHEN POLYMERIZATION IS SUBSTANTIALLY COMPLETE.