Patent ID: 6921804
Filing Date: 2005-07-26
Classification: C08F

Abstract:
1. A process for disengagement of non-polymer-associated components from a first slurry polymerization reactor product slurry stream containing solid polymer particles in a slurry solvent, said method comprising: introducing a non-polymer-associated component-containing polymer slurry from a first slurry reactor into a disengagement vessel, said disengagement vessel terminating at a lower end thereof with a lock hopper having a cavity therein which is selectively communicatable between an interior of said disengagement vessel and a supply of slurry solvent; filling said cavity with slurry solvent when said cavity is not in fluid communication with said disengagement vessel; causing said cavity to be in fluid communication with said interior of said disengagement vessel, and allowing polymer particles contained in a polymer particle slurry in said disengagement vessel to enter said cavity, displacing slurry solvent into said disengagement vessel from said cavity; ceasing communication of said cavity with said interior of said disengagement vessel, establishing fluid communication of said cavity with said supply of slurry solvent, and flushing polymer particles from said cavity with slurry solvent as a solvent flush polymer slurry, at least one non-polymer-associated component concentration in said solvent flush polymer slurry being less than the concentration of said at least one non-polymer-associated component in said disengagement vessel.