Continuous polymerization process and apparatus

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR POLYMERIZING LOW MOLECULAR WEIGHT OLEFINS WHICH COMPRISES CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING OLEFINS AND INERT LIQUID DILUENT TO A FIRST POLYMERIZATION ZONE, INTRODUCING TO SAID FIRST POLYMERIZATION ZONE A POLYMERIZATION CATALYST TO THEREBY POLYMERIZE SAID OLEFINS TO FORM POLYMER, SAID POLYMERIZATION CATALYST BEING OBTAINED BY MIXING REDUCING METAL COMPOUND OF ALUMINUM WITH REDUCIBLE METAL COMPOUND OF A METAL OF GROUPS IV-B, V-B, VI-B, AND VIII OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM IN AN INERT LIQUID DILUENT, CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING A PORTION OF THE RESULTANT POLYMERIZATION MIXTURE AS A STREAM FROM SAID FIRST POLYMERIZATION ZONE AND PASSSING SAID STREAM TO A SECOND POLYMERIZATION ZONE, CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCING ADDITIONAL OLEFINS TO SAID SECOND POLYMERIZATION ZONE, IN TRODUCING ADDITIONAL REDUCING METAL COMPOUND TO SAID SECOND POLYMERIZATION ZONE TO THEREBY OBTAIN POLYMERIZATION OF ADDITIONAL OLEFINS TO FORM ADDITIONAL POLYMER IN SAID SECOND POLYMERIZATION ZONE, CONTINUOUSLY WITHDRAWING A PORTION OF THE RESULTANT POLYMERIZATION MIXTURE AS A STREAM FROM SAID SECOND POLYMERIZATION ZONE AND PASSING SAID STREAM TO A SEPARATION ZONE FOR RECOVERY OF SAID POLYMER.