Fluidized bed product discharge process

Claim 1

A process for the post reaction treatment of resins produced by fluidized bed polymerization of alpha olefins in a polymerization reactor which comprises: (a) providing a screw extruder a portion of which is disposed in said reactor in communicating contact with said fluidized bed said screw extruder being adapted to receive polymer particle resins from said fluidized bed, (b) removing polymerized product resin from said fluidized bed by the action of said screw extruder in communication with said fluidized bed, (c) melting said resin in said extruder to form molten polymer, (d) providing valve means for effecting a seal with said molten polymer in said extruder to provide an upstream zone from said seal into said reactor and a downstream zone from said seal in a direction away from said reactor, said seal isolating the pressure in said upstream zone from said downstream zone, (e) devolatilizing monomer residues and volatiles dissolved in said polymer melt by venting said monomer residues and volatiles from said extruder, (f) deactivating catalyst and cocatalyst residues by introducing a deactivating agent to said extruder, (g) adding additives in the absence of oxygen to said extruder containing said polymer melt; steps (e) through (g) being conducted in said downstream zone and (h) discharging treated polymer product from said extruder.