Patent ID: 6596241
Filing Date: 2003-07-22
Classification: B01J,C08F,Y10S

Abstract:
A tubular polymerization reactor apparatus comprising:a) a source of fresh monomer; b) first and second compressor stages for compressing monomer; c) a reactor tube; d) multiple feeds, spaced lengthwise along the reactor tube for supplying monomer to the reactor; e) multiple free-radical or catalyst injection positions spaced lengthwise along the tubular reactor for causing monomer to be converted into polymer inside the tubular reactor; f) separators for receiving a monomer-polymer mixture from the reactor tube and separating said mixture into a volatile monomer-rich phase and molten polymerization phase; g) conduits for recycling the monomer-rich phase to the first and/or second compressor stages for recycling unreacted monomer to the reactor tube; and h) a source of transfer agent for modifying the molecular weight of the polymer for compression and feeding to the reactor tube; wherein compressor means is provided for compressing a transfer agent rich stream separately from a transfer agent-poor monomer stream and means is provided for feeding the compressed transfer agent rich stream to a polymerization reaction zone upstream of at least one reaction zone receiving the transfer agent-poor stream containing less than 30 wt. % of the transfer agent relative to the transfer agent rich stream.