A static devolatilisation apparatus for devolatilising a viscous liquid comprising a volatile component, wherein the viscous liquid is a polymer composition comprising less than 25, preferably 20, more preferably 10 wt percent volatiles, and wherein the apparatus comprises: - a container for receiving a first devolatilised viscous liquid , said container having a lower sump region for collecting a second devolatilised viscous liquid , an upper region for discharging a gas , and a central region between said lower sump region and said upper region ; - a discharge pump in fluid communication with said lower sump region for discharging the second devolatilised viscous liquid therefrom; - an extraction line for discharging gas from the container , wherein said line is preferably located in said upper region ; and - a phase separation chamber defining a first discharge region in said upper region of said container , wherein the phase separation chamber comprises an inlet for the viscous liquid to be treated in a first devolatilisation step to form a first devolatilised viscous liquid , a plurality of first discharge openings in a lower portion of the first discharge region for discharging said first devolatilised viscous liquid downwardly towards said lower sump region and at least one gas discharge opening in an upper portion of said first discharge region for discharging gas upwardly to said extraction line ; wherein a distributor sub-unit defining a second discharge region is located in said central region and below the phase separation chamber and above the lower sump region , wherein the minimum distance between the first discharge region and the second discharge region is at least 1.5 times the diameter of the phase separation chamber , wherein the second discharge region is embodied such that it is contacted by the first devolatilised viscous liquid discharged from the first discharge openings of the phase separation chamber , and wherein the second discharge region has a surface embodied such that the first devolatilised viscous liquid is treated in a second devolatilisation step on said surface to form a second devolatilised viscous liquid , and wherein the second discharge region additionally has a plurality of second discharge openings in fluid communication with the discharge pump and for the discharge of said second devolatilised viscous liquid . - a container for receiving a first devolatilised viscous liquid , said container having a lower sump region for collecting a second devolatilised viscous liquid , an upper region for discharging a gas , and a central region between said lower sump region and said upper region ; - a discharge pump in fluid communication with said lower sump region for discharging the second devolatilised viscous liquid therefrom; - an extraction line for discharging gas from the container , wherein said line is preferably located in said upper region ; and - a phase separation chamber defining a first discharge region in said upper region of said container , wherein the phase separation chamber comprises an inlet for the viscous liquid to be treated in a first devolatilisation step to form a first devolatilised viscous liquid , a plurality of first discharge openings in a lower portion of the first discharge region for discharging said first devolatilised viscous liquid downwardly towards said lower sump region and at least one gas discharge opening in an upper portion of said first discharge region for discharging gas upwardly to said extraction line ; <EOS>