Patent ID: 6858188

Claim:
Apparatus for olefin polymerization comprising: an olefin containing feedstock distribution assembly including a feedstock inlet and a plurality of feedstock outlets, said distribution assembly being adapted and arranged to receive feedstock via said feedstock inlet, divide said feedstock into a plurality of separate streams and deliver each of said streams to a respective one of said outlets; a plurality of reactors, each of said reactors comprising (1) structure defining a reaction zone, said structure being adapted and arranged to facilitate the conduct of an exothermic olefin polymerization reaction on an olefin polyymerization reaction mixture in said zone, said structure comprising inlet and outlet connections arranged in fluid communication with said zone, and (2) a recirculation system including a pump arranged and adapted to circulate said reaction mixture in said zone, each said feedstock outlet being connected in fluid communication with the inlet connection of a respective reactor, each said recirculation system being adapted and arranged to circulate reaction mixture in its respected zone independently of the introduction of feedstock into said zone via a respective inlet connection; and a crude polyolefin product collection assembly including a plurality of crude polyolefin product inlets and a crude polyolefin product outlet, each said crude polyolefin product inlet being connected in fluid communication with the outlet connection of a respective reactor, whereby said reactors are arranged and connected for operation in parallel.