Process for polymerizing monomers in fluidized beds

Claim 2

A process for polymerizing alpha-olefin(s) in a gas phase reactor having a fluidized bed and a fluidizing medium wherein the fluidizing medium serves to control the cooling capacity of said reactor, the improvement comprising employing a level of liquid in the fluidizing medium entering the reactor which is in the range of from 17.4 to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium and maintaining the ratio of fluidized bulk density to settled bulk density above 0.59.

Claim 3

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the level of liquid is within the range of from 22 to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 4

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the level of liquid is within the range of from 25 to 50 weight percent liquid based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium

Claim 5

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the level of liquid in the fluidizing medium based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium is in the range of from 30 to 50 weight percent.

Claim 6

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein polymer product is withdrawn at a rate greater than about 500 lb/hr-ft 2 .

Claim 7

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fluidizing medium comprises: i) butene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.60 or 4-methyl-pentene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.50 or hexene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.30 or octene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.10; ii) a condensable inert fluid comprising from about 1.5 to about 20 mole percent of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 8

The process in accordance with claim 6 wherein hydrogen is present at a molar ratio with respect to ethylene of from about 0.00 to about 0.40.

Claim 9

The process in accordance with claim 6 wherein the condensable inert fluid is isopentane.

Claim 10

The process in accordance with claim 8 wherein the concentration of isopentane in said fluidizing medium is about 3 to about 20 mole percent.

Claim 11

The process in accordance with claim 6 wherein the condensable inert fluid is isohexane.

Claim 12

The process in accordance with claim 10 wherein the concentration of isohexane in said fluidizing medium is about 1.5 to about 10 mole percent.

Claim 13

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fluidizing medium comprises: i) butene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.60 or 4-methyl-pentene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.50 or hexene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.30 or octene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.10; ii) a condensable inert fluid comprising from about 1.5 to about 30 mole percent of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 14

The process in accordance with claim 12 wherein hydrogen is present at a molar ratio with respect to ethylene of from about 0.00 to about 1.6.

Claim 15

The process in accordance with claim 12 wherein the condensable inert fluid is isopentane.

Claim 16

The process in accordance with claim 14 wherein the concentration of isopentane in said fluidizing medium is about 3 to about 30 mole percent.

Claim 17

The process in accordance with claim 12 wherein the condensable inert fluid is isohexane.

Claim 18

The process in accordance with claim 16 wherein the concentration of isohexane in said fluidizing medium is about 1.5 to about 15 mole percent.

Claim 19

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein said fluidizing medium comprises: i) butene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.30 or 4-methyl-pentene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.25 or hexene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.15 or octene-1 and ethylene at a molar ratio of from about 0.001 to about 0.05; ii) a condensable inert fluid comprising from about 5 to about 40 mole percent of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 20

The process in accordance with claim 18 wherein hydrogen is present at a molar ratio with respect to ethylene of from about 0.00 to 1.5.

Claim 21

The process in accordance with claim 18 wherein the condensable inert fluid is isopentane.

Claim 22

The process in accordance with claim 20 wherein the concentration of isopentane in said fluidizing medium is about 3 to about 20 mole percent.

Claim 23

The process in accordance with claim 18 wherein the condensable inert fluid is isohexane.

Claim 24

The process in accordance with claim 22 wherein the concentration of isohexane in said fluidizing medium is about 1.5 to about 15 mole percent.

Claim 25

A process for polymerizing alphaoolefin(s) in a gas phase reactor having a fluidized bed and a fluidizing medium for producing film and molding grade products, the improvement comprising operating said reactor such that the enthalpy change of said fluidizing medium entering and exiting the reactor is in the range of from 42 Btu/lb to 110 Btu/lb and maintaining the ratio of fluidized bulk density to settled bulk density above 0.59.

Claim 26

A process for polymerizing alphaoolefin(s) in a gas phase reactor having a fluidized bed and a fluidizing medium for producing film and molding grade products, the improvement comprising operating said reactor such that the enthalpy change of said fluidizing medium entering and exiting the reactor is in the range of from 42 Btu/lb to 110 Btu/lb and maintaining the ratio of fluidized bulk density to settled bulk density above 0.59.

Claim 27

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the fluidizing medium comprises a gas phase and a liquid phase wherein the level of liquid entering the reactor is in the range of from 20 to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 28

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the enthalpy change is in the range of between about 50 Btu/lb to about 100 Btu/lb.

Claim 29

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the product is withdrawn at a rate above about 500 lb/hr-ft 2 .

Claim 30

A continuous process for increasing reactor productivity of a gas phase polymerization reactor having a fluidizing medium and a fluidized bed, said process comprising passing a gaseous stream comprising monomer through a reaction zone in the presence of a catalyst to produce a polymeric product, withdrawing said polymeric product, withdrawing said fluidizing medium comprising unreacted monomer from said reaction zone, mixing said fluidizing medium with hydrocarbon and polymerizable monomer(s) to form a liquid phase and a gas phase, and recycling said fluidizing medium to said reactor, the improvement comprising: a) introducing said hydrocarbon into said fluidizing medium to permit an increase in the cooling capacity of the fluidizing medium to a level in the range of from 42 Btu/lb to 110 Btu/lb; b) increasing the rate of withdrawal of polymer product to above 500 lb/hr-ft 2 ; and c) maintaining the ratio of fluidized bulk density to settled bulk density above 0.59.

Claim 31

A continuous process for increasing reactor productivity of a gas phase polymerization reactor having a fluidizing medium and a fluidized bed, said process comprising passing a gaseous stream comprising monomer through a reaction zone in the presence of a catalyst to produce a polymeric product, withdrawing said polymeric product, withdrawing said fluidizing medium comprising unreacted monomer from said reaction zone, mixing said fluidizing medium with hydrocarbon and polymerizable monomer(s) to form a liquid phase and a gas phase, and recycling said fluidizing medium to said reactor, the improvement comprising: a) introducing said hydrocarbon into said fluidizing medium to permit an increase in the cooling capacity of the fluidizing medium to a level in the range of from 42 Btu/lb to 110 Btu/lb; b) increasing the rate of withdrawal of polymer product to above 500 lb/hr-ft 2 ; and c) maintaining the ratio of fluidized bulk density to settled bulk density above 0.59.

Claim 32

The process in accordance with claim 28 wherein the liquid phase comprises a level of liquid in the range of from 20 to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 33

The process of claim 1 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 20 to 50 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 34

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 20 to 44.2 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 35

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 22 to 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 36

The process in accordance with claim 1 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 25 weight percent to 38.6 weight percent based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium.

Claim 37

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the enthalpy change is in the range of from 60 Btu/lb to 100 Btu/lb.

Claim 38

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the enthalpy change is in the range of from 73 Btu/lb to 100 Btu/lb,

Claim 39

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the level of liquid in the fluidizing medium based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium is in the range of from 30 to 50 weight percent,

Claim 40

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 20 to 44.2 weight percent based on the total weight of the recycle stream.

Claim 41

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 22 to 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the recycle stream.

Claim 42

The process in accordance with claim 24 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 25 to 38.6 weight percent based on the total weight of the recycle stream.

Claim 43

The process in accordance with claim 28 wherein the level of liquid in the fluidizing medium based on the total weight of the fluidizing medium is in the range of between from 30 to 50 weight percent.

Claim 44

The process in accordance with claim 28 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 20 to 44.2 weight percent based on the total weight of the recycle stream.

Claim 45

The process in accordance with claim 28 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 22 to 30 weight percent based on the total weight of the recycle stream.

Claim 46

The process in accordance with claim 28 wherein the level of liquid is in the range of from 25 to 38.6 weight percent based on the total weight of the recycle stream.