GB831279A - Continuous olefin polymerization process - Google Patents

Abstract

A continuous process for polymerizing olefins comprises continuously introducing a solution of an olefinic hydrocarbon monomer in a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon liquid and a catalyst prepared by mixing an organo-metallic compound of Group I, II or III with a compound of a Group IVa, Va, VIa or VIII metal, into a reaction zone, continuously withdrawing a polymer slurry from the reaction zone and adding alcohol thereto in a quenching zone, continuously recovering the polymer and diluent from the slurry and recycling the diluent to the reaction zone. It is preferred after adding alcohol to the slurry in a quenching zone to filter the slurry, to pass the filtrate to a distillation zone thus recovering the major proportion of the alcohol as an azeotrope with the diluent, to recycle the azeotrope to the quenching zone and to redistill the bottoms stream to recover the major proportion of the diluent. Alternatively, the reaction mixture may be filtered, the recovered polymer washed with alcohol, filtered and the filtrate distilled to recover alcohol as an overhead and the alcohol, recycled to the washing zone. Specified olefins are ethylene, propylene, butylene and amylene, while pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, nonane and decane are specified diluents. Apparatus for carrying out the process is described.