US2014140894A1PendingUtilityA1

Polyolefin production with multiple polymerization reactors

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Assignee: CHEVRON PHILLIPS CHEMICAL COPriority: Nov 20, 2012Filed: Nov 20, 2012Published: May 22, 2014
Est. expiryNov 20, 2032(~6.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Maruti BhandarkarElizabeth A. BenhamRebecca A. GonzalesScott E. KufeldJoel A. MutchlerCatherine M. GillThanh T. NguyenTimothy O. Odi
B01J 19/1818B01J 19/1825C08F 2/001B01J 19/1837B01J 19/2455B01J 2219/00024B01J 19/245B01J 2219/24B01J 19/2465C08F 2/01B01J 19/24
54
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Claims

Abstract

A polyolefin production system including: a first reactor configured to produce a first discharge slurry having a first polyolefin; a second reactor configured to produce a second discharge slurry having a second polyolefin; and a post-reactor treatment zone having at least a separation vessel configured to receive the second discharge slurry or both the first discharge slurry and the second discharge slurry.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A polyolefin production system comprising:
 a first reactor configured to produce a first reactor discharge comprising a first polyolefin;   a second reactor configured to produce a second reactor discharge comprising a second polyolefin; and   a post-reactor treatment zone configured to receive the first reactor discharge and the second reactor discharge, wherein the first and second reactors are configured to allow the first reactor discharge to be (a) transferred to the second reactor and, alternatively, (b) diverted to by-pass the second reactor and fed into the post-reactor treatment zone wherein to the first and second polyolefins are first contacted in the post-reactor treatment zone.   
     
     
         2 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the first reactor and the second reactor each comprise a loop reactor. 
     
     
         3 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises a separation vessel; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the separation vessel such that the first and second polyolefins are first contacted in the separation vessel.   
     
     
         4 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises a purge column; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the purge column such that the first and second polyolefins are first contacted in the purge column.   
     
     
         5 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises an extruder feed tank; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the extruder feed tank such that the first and second polyolefins are first contacted in the extruder feed tank.   
     
     
         6 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises an extruder; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the extruder such that the first and second polyolefins are first contacted at the inlet of and blended in the extruder.   
     
     
         7 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second polyolefins are polyethylene. 
     
     
         8 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the first polyolefin has a higher average molecular weight than the second polyolefin. 
     
     
         9 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the second polyolefin has a higher average molecular weight than the first polyolefin. 
     
     
         10 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the first polyolefin has a different density than the second polyolefin. 
     
     
         11 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the first polyolefin is 30 weight % to 70 weight % of the second polyolefin. 
     
     
         12 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 1 , wherein the post-reactor treatment zone comprises an extruder feed tank and an extruder, and wherein performance additives are added into at least one of the extruder feed tank or the extruder. 
     
     
         13 . A polyolefin production system comprising:
 a first-reactor configured to produce a first reactor discharge comprising polyolefin and non-polyolefin components; and   a post-reactor treatment zone configured to receive the first reactor discharge and produce a first extruded polyolefin and a second extruded polyolefin.   
     
     
         14 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 13 , wherein the post-reactor treatment zone comprises a separation vessel configured to receive the first reactor discharge and produce first and second separation-vessel product streams. 
     
     
         15 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises a separation vessel and a purge column, wherein:   the separation vessel is configured to receive the first reactor discharge and produce a separation-vessel product stream, and   the purge column is configured to receive the separation-vessel product stream and produce first and second purge-column product streams.   
     
     
         16 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 13 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises a separation vessel, a purge column, and an extruder feed tank;   the separation vessel is configured to receive the first reactor discharge and produce a separation-vessel product stream,   the purge column is configured to receive the separation-vessel product stream and produce a purge-column product stream, and   the extruder feed tank is configured to receive the purge-column product stream and produce first and second extruder-tank product streams.   
     
     
         17 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 13 , further comprising a second reactor configured to produce a second reactor discharge which is fed into the first reactor. 
     
     
         18 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 17 , wherein polyolefin in the second reactor discharge has a higher average molecular weight than polyolefin in the first reactor discharge. 
     
     
         19 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 17 , wherein polyolefin the first reactor discharge has a higher average molecular weight than polyolefin the second reactor discharge. 
     
     
         20 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 17 , wherein polyolefin in the second reactor discharge has a different density than polyolefin in the first reactor discharge. 
     
     
         21 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 17 , wherein polyolefin in the second reactor discharge is 30 weight % to 70 weight % of polyolefin in the second reactor discharge. 
     
     
         22 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 13 , wherein the first extruded polyolefin and the second extruded polyolefin comprise different additive packages. 
     
     
         23 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 13 , wherein the different additive packages comprise surface modifiers, UV inhibitors, antioxidants, colorants, pigments, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         24 . A polyolefin production system comprising:
 a first reactor configured to produce a first discharge slurry comprising a first polyolefin;   a second reactor configured to produce a second discharge slurry comprising a second polyolefin; and   a post-reactor treatment zone comprising a separation vessel configured to receive as separate feeds the first discharge slurry and the second discharge slurry.   
     
     
         25 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second reactors are configured to allow the first discharge slurry to be (a) transferred to the second reactor and, alternatively, (b) diverted to by-pass the second reactor and fed into the post-reactor treatment zone. 
     
     
         26 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first discharge slurry and the second discharge slurry initially meet in the separation vessel. 
     
     
         27 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first discharge slurry and the second discharge slurry do not meet upstream of the separation vessel. 
     
     
         28 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first discharge slurry and the second discharge slurry do not initially meet in a conduit. 
     
     
         29 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the separation vessel such that the first and second polyolefins initially meet in the separation vessel. 
     
     
         30 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises a purge column; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the purge column such that the first and second polyolefins initially meet in inlet piping of the purge column or in the purge column.   
     
     
         31 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises an extruder feed tank; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the extruder feed tank such that the first and second polyolefins initially meet in inlet piping of the extruder feed tank or in the extruder feed tank.   
     
     
         32 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein:
 the post-reactor treatment zone comprises an extruder; and   the first and second polyolefins are transferred to the extruder such that the first and second polyolefins initially meet in inlet piping of the extruder or in the extruder, and are blended in the extruder.   
     
     
         33 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first polyolefin has a higher average molecular weight than the second polyolefin. 
     
     
         34 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the second polyolefin has a higher average molecular weight than the first polyolefin. 
     
     
         35 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first polyolefin has a different density than the second polyolefin. 
     
     
         36 . The polyolefin production system of  claim 24 , wherein the first polyolefin is 30 weight % to 70 weight % of the second polyolefin.

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