Patent ID: 8916660

Claim:
A process for recovering polymer from a gas phase reactor ( 3 ), the gas phase reactor ( 3 ) having a distribution plate and being connected to an outlet vessel ( 1 ) via a feed pipe ( 2 ) and a return gas line ( 5 ), the outlet vessel ( 1 ) comprising at least one apparatus for the breakup of polymeric agglomerates ( 4 ), whereby the gas phase reactor ( 3 ) and the outlet vessel ( 1 ) are connected by a connecting passage including the feed pipe ( 2 ), wherein the connecting passage allows the transport of agglomerates having a maximum three dimensional diameter of 30 cm and whereby the connecting passage ( 2 ) and the outlet vessel ( 1 ) are not equipped with a sieve, the process comprising: continuously discharging polymeric material from the gas phase reactor ( 3 ) via the feed pipe ( 2 ) to the outlet vessel ( 1 ), passing the polymeric material into the at least one apparatus for breakup of polymeric agglomerates ( 4 ), recovering polymer from the outlet vessel ( 1 ), whereby the bed level height in the gas phase reactor ( 3 ) and the flow through the feed pipe ( 2 ) are controlled by controlling the flow rate through the return gas line ( 5 ) from the outlet vessel ( 1 ) to the gas phase reactor ( 3 ), and/or by controlling the outlet rate of polymer product from the outlet vessel ( 1 ).