Process for refining polyolefins

Claim 1

A METHOD FOR REMOVING HYDROCARBON INSOLUBLE METAL CATALYST RESIDUES FROM A SOLID POLYOLEFIN OBTAINED BY POLYMERIZING AN ALPHA OLEFIN IN THE PRESENCE OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON FREE FROM OLEFINIC UNSATURATION AND A DISPERSED POLYMERIZATION CATALYSST CONSISTING OF A MIXTURE OF A LOWER-ALKYL ALUMINUM COMPOUND AND A HALIDE OF THE TRANSITION METALS, SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE METALS OF GROUPS IVB, VB, AND VIB OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM OF THE ELEMENTS, WHICH COMPRISES HEATING THE MIXTURE OF POLYOLEFIN, LIQUID HYDROCARBON, AND DISPERSED POLYMERIZATION CATALYST TO FORM A LIQUID SOLUTION OF POLYOLEFIN IN THE LIIQUID HYDROCARBON, INTRODUCING WATER TO THE HEATED LIQUID SOLUTION TO TRANSFER THE CATALYSST AND CATALYST RESIDUES TO THE WATER PHASE WHILE THE LIQUID SOLUTION IS MAINTAINED AT ITS SOLUTION TEMPERATURE, AND THEN SEPARATING THE WATER FROM THE POLYOLEFIN SOLUTION.

Claim 2

A METHOD FOR REMOVING HYDROCARBON INSOLUBLE METAL CATALYST RESIDUES FROM A SOLID POLYOLEFIN OBTAINED BY POLYMERIZING AN ALPHA OLEFIN IN THE PRESENCE OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON FREE FROM OLEFINIC UNSATURATION AND A DISPERSED POLYMERIZATION CATALYSST CONSISTING OF A MIXTURE OF A LOWER-ALKYL ALUMINUM COMPOUND AND A HALIDE OF THE TRANSITION METALS, SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF THE METALS OF GROUPS IVB, VB, AND VIB OF THE PERIODIC SYSTEM OF THE ELEMENTS, WHICH COMPRISES HEATING THE MIXTURE OF POLYOLEFIN, LIQUID HYDROCARBON, AND DISPERSED POLYMERIZATION CATALYST TO FORM A LIQUID SOLUTION OF POLYOLEFIN IN THE LIIQUID HYDROCARBON, INTRODUCING WATER TO THE HEATED LIQUID SOLUTION TO TRANSFER THE CATALYSST AND CATALYST RESIDUES TO THE WATER PHASE WHILE THE LIQUID SOLUTION IS MAINTAINED AT ITS SOLUTION TEMPERATURE, AND THEN SEPARATING THE WATER FROM THE POLYOLEFIN SOLUTION.