Recovery of olefin polymers from solution

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE REMOVAL OF SOLID OLEFIN POLYMERS FROM A LIQUID SOLUTION WHICH COMPRISES REMOVING HEAT FROM THE SOLUTION IN PRECIPITATION ZONE AT A SUFFICIENT RATE TO PROVIDE A SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM RATE OF TEMPERATURE DECREASE BY REDUCING THE PRESSURE ON THE SOLUTION TO SUBSTANTIALLY ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE AND VAPORIZING LIQUID THEREFROM WHEREBY SOLID POLYMER IS PRECIPITATED, SAID PRECITATED POLYMER BEING SUBJECT TO AGGLOMERATION DUE TO MECHANICAL AGITATION DURING THE LATTER PORTION OF THE HEAT REMOVAL STEP, THEREAFTER REMOVING ASSITIONAL HEAT FROM THE SOLUTION WITHOUT VAPORIZING LIQUID FROM SAID SOLUTION IN THE ABSENCE OF MECHANICAL AGITATION THROUGH THE TEMPERATURE RANGE IN HICH AGGLOMERATION WOULD BE PRODUCED BY MECHANICAL AGITATION WHEREBY ADDITIONAL POLYMER IS PRECIPITATED, COMMENCING AGITATION OF THE POLYMER AND LIQUID AND REMOVING POLYMER AND LIQUID FROM SAID RECIPITATION ZONE.