System and method for catalyst preparation

Abstract

Techniques are provided for catalyst preparation. A system for catalyst preparation may include an agitator disposed inside a polymerization catalyst tank and configured to mix a polymerization catalyst and a solvent to generate a polymerization catalyst solution. The system may also include a heating system coupled to the polymerization catalyst tank and configured to maintain a temperature of the polymerization catalyst solution above a threshold. The system may also include a precontactor configured to receive feed streams comprising an activator and the polymerization catalyst solution from the polymerization catalyst tank to generate a catalyst complex. The system may also include a transfer line configured to transfer the catalyst complex from an outlet of the precontactor to a reactor.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 making a polymerization catalyst solution by heating a mixture of a solvent and a polymerization catalyst in a polymerization catalyst tank;   making a polymerization catalyst complex by combining at least a portion of the polymerization catalyst solution with an activator in a precontactor; and   transferring the polymerization catalyst complex from the precontactor to a reactor using a reactor transfer line.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising combining a cocatalyst with the polymerization catalyst solution and the activator in the precontactor. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising maintaining a temperature of the polymerization catalyst solution within the polymerization catalyst tank above a catalyst threshold using a catalyst heating system coupled to the polymerization catalyst tank. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , comprising maintaining the polymerization catalyst solution in the polymerization catalyst tank at a temperature between approximately 40 degrees Celsius to 50 degrees Celsius using the catalyst heating system. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising heating the polymerization catalyst complex in the precontactor using a precontactor heating system coupled to the precontactor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , comprising maintaining a temperature of the polymerization catalyst complex within the precontactor above a precontactor threshold using the precontactor heating system. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising polymerizing a monomer into polymer solids in the reactor in the presence of the catalyst complex and existing polymer solids therein. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising polymerizing monomer into polymer solids in a plurality of reactors in the presence of the catalyst complex and existing polymer solids therein. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising measuring a concentration of the polymerization catalyst in the polymerization catalyst solution using an ultraviolet-visible photometric analyzer. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , comprising maintaining the concentration of the polymerization catalyst in the polymerization catalyst solution above approximately 0.40 weight percent in the solvent. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising actively mixing the polymerization catalyst and the solvent using a catalyst agitator disposed inside the polymerization catalyst tank. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising actively mixing the activator and polymerization catalyst solution using a precontactor agitator disposed inside the precontactor. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 transferring the polymerization catalyst solution from the polymerization catalyst tank to the precontactor using a precontactor transfer line; and   heating the precontactor transfer line using a transfer line heating system.   
     
     
         14 . A catalyst complex, comprising:
 a metallocene catalyst solution, comprising a mixture of a metallocene catalyst and a solvent, wherein a concentration of the metallocene catalyst in the metallocene catalyst solution is greater than approximately 0.40 weight percent in the solvent; and   an activator.   
     
     
         15 . The catalyst complex of  claim 14 , wherein the solvent comprises a comonomer, 1-hexene, cyclohexane, heptane, an alkene, an alkane, a cycloalkene, a cycloalkane, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The catalyst complex of  claim 14 , comprising a cocatalyst. 
     
     
         17 . The catalyst complex of  claim 16 , wherein the cocatalyst comprises triisobutylaluminum, triethylaluminum, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The catalyst complex of  claim 14 , wherein the activator comprises a solid super acid. 
     
     
         19 . A method for making the catalyst complex of  claim 14 , comprising:
 making the metallocene catalyst solution by heating the mixture of the solvent and the metallocene catalyst in a polymerization catalyst tank;   making the catalyst complex by combining at least a portion of the metallocene catalyst solution with the activator in a precontactor; and   transferring the catalyst complex from the precontactor to a reactor using a reactor transfer line.   
     
     
         20 . A catalyst complex, comprising:
 a metallocene catalyst solution, comprising a mixture of a metallocene catalyst and a solvent, wherein a concentration of the metallocene catalyst in the metallocene catalyst solution is greater than approximately 0.40 weight percent in the solvent; and   an activator, wherein the catalyst complex is made by a method comprising the steps of:
 making the metallocene catalyst solution by heating the mixture of the solvent and the metallocene catalyst in a polymerization catalyst tank; and 
 making the catalyst complex by combining at least a portion of the metallocene catalyst solution with the activator in a precontactor.