Multi-stage polymerization process

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS, NON-REGENERATIVE CATALYST PROCESS FOR POLYMERIZATION OLEFINS WHICH COMPRISES HE STEPS OF MAINTAINING A WELL MIXED SUSPENSION OF FINELY DIVIDED SOLID PHOSPHORIC ACID CATALYST IN FLUID HYDROCARBON IN A PLURALITY OF REACTION ZONES CONNECTED IN SERIES, EACH OF SAID ZONES BEING MAINTAINED AT OLEFIN POLYMERIZATION CONDITIONS, INTRODUCING OLEFIN FEED INTO THE FIRST OF SAID ZONES MAINTAINED AT A TEMPERATURE WHEREBY SUBSTANTIAL OLEFIN CONVERSION OCCURS, INTRODUCING SUFFICIENT WATER INTO SAID FIRST ZONE WHEREBY ITS PARTIAL PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUALS THE VAPOR PRESSURE OF SAID CATALYST, WITHDRAWING EFFLUENT INCLUDING UNREACTED OLEFINS AND WATER FROM THE FIRST OF ANY TWO ADJACENT REACTION ZONES AND INTRODUCING IT INTO THE SECOND OF SAID ADJACENT ZONES, POLYMERIZING THE SUBSTANTIAL PORTION OF UNREACTED OLEFINS IN EACH OF SAID REACTION ZONES, AND INTRODUCING SUBSTANTIALLY DRY EXTRANEOUS HYDROCARBON INTO EACH SUBSEQUENT REACTION ZONE AFTER SAID THE FIRST ZONE, THE AMOUNT OF SAID EXTRANEOUS HYDROCARBON BEING SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN THE WATER PARTIAL PRESSURE AND CATALYST VAPOR PRESSURE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL IN EACH OF SAID SUBSEQUENT ZONES.