Bp Corporation North America Inc.

Ineos USA LLC

Barry F Wood

Chi-Hung Lin

Jerome A Streeky

Carl Towner

James Hanawalt Lee

Norman W Carlson

An olefin polymerization process comprises gas-phase polymerization of at least one olefin monomer in a reactor using a Ziegler-Natta or metallocene catalyst system in the presence of at least one suitable radical-generating compound in an amount sufficient for polymer modification and subsequent stabilization of such compound and generated radicals before post-reactor heat processing.

Olefin polymerization process in the presence of a radical generating system

Improved apparatus for mechanically stirring a quench-cooled subfluidized particulate bed of polymerized monomer lowers lumping of polymer particles by using substantially contiguous paddle stations disposed along the drive shaft within the reactor in combination with a plurality of sub-stations in at least one paddle station class, each sub-station having a width along the shaft of no more than 50 percent of the total width of the paddle station, and sub-station paddles attached to the shaft at each sub-station so as to sweep through the particulate bed. In some embodiments, a first class of stations is, advantageously, disposed within the reactor along a portion of the drive shaft in repeating groups of at least two stations and a second class of stations with sub-stations is disposed within the reactor along another portion of the drive shaft, preferably in repeating groups of at least one more than the number of stations in the repeating group of the first class, to further reduce lumping of polymer particles.

Agitator for a horizontal polymerization reactor having contiguous paddle stations with paddles and sub-stations with sub-station paddles

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

Barry F Wood