Process for the continuous polymerization of ethylene

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR THE POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYLENE AT PRESSURE BELOW ABOUT 100 KG./CM 2 AND AT TEMPERATURE UP TO ABOUT 100*C. USING CATALYSTS CONSISTING OF MIXTURES OF ALUMINUM ALKYL COMPOUNDS WITH COMPOUNDS OF METALS OF THE 4TH TO 6TH SUBGROUP OF THE PERIODIC TABLE AND IN THE PRESENCE OF AN AUXILIARY LIQUID CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS OF THE GASOLINE AND DIESEL OIL BOILING RANGE, WHICH COMPRISES THE STEPS OF SEPARATING THE BULK OF SAID AUXILIARY LIQUID FROM THE REACTION MIXTURE WITHDRAWN FROM THE POLYMERIZATION VESSEL AND REUSING SAID BULK, REMOVING THE RESIDUAL AUXILIARY LIQUID, REMAINING IN THE REACTION MIXTURE, THEREFROM BY A TREATMENT WITH STEAM, RECOVERING SAID STEAM -TREATED RESIDUAL AUXILIARY LIQUID AND DRYING SAME, MAKING UP THE LOSS IN AUXILIARY LIQUID INCURRED BY SAID STEAM TREATMENT WITH THE EQUIVALENT AMOUNT OF FRESH AUXILIARY LIQUID, BRING STEAM-TREATED PLUS MAKEUP AUXILIARY LIQUID, STILL CONTAINING TRACES OF MOISTURE, IN INTIMATE CONTACT CATALYST RESIDUES, MECHANICALLY SEPARATING THE BULK OF AUXILIARY LIQUID HAD BEEN REMOVED AND WHICH STILL CONTAINS CATALYST RESIDUES, MECHANICALLY SEPARATING THE STEAM-TREATED PLUS MAKE-UP AUXILIARY LIQUID FROM SAID REACTION MIXTURE AND DISTILLING SAME TO REMOVE DISSOLVED WAXES, AND RETURNING THE STEAM-TREATED PLUS MAKE-UP AUXILIARY LIQUID INTO THE POLYMERIZATION VESSEL.