The Standard Oil Company

John W Shepard

James L Jezl

Edwin F Peters

Robert D Hall

A method is herein disclosed by which a polymerizable monomer or a mixture thereof can be economically and efficiently converted to polymeric substances with a high yield catalyst in a vapor phase polymerization process using a stirred-bed, quench-cooled, horizontaL reactor together with essentially total reactor off-gas recycle and melt finishing. The method is further characterized by being essentially isobaric at least up to the polymer finishing steps.

Process for the vapor phase polymerization of monomers in a horizontal,

Apparatus for the vapor phase polymerization of at least one polymerizable monomer comprising: (a) a horizontal reactor of substantially circular cross-section containing a centrally-located drive shaft extending longitudinally through said reactor to which are attached a plurality of adjacently located paddles, which paddles cause essentially no forward or backward movement of the particulate matter contained in said reactor and extend transversely within and to a short distance from the internal surfaces of said reactor, said reactor being divided into two or more individually gas-composition-controllable and polymerization-temperature-controllable polymerization compartments, by one or more dividing structures so constructed to control gas intermixing and movement of said particulate matter between said compartments; (b) driving means for said drive shaft; (c) one or more reactor off-gas outlets in each of said compartments spaced along the topward part of said reactor; (d) one or more vapor recycle inlets in each of said compartments spaced along the bottomward portion of said reactor; (e) one or more catalyst addition inlets in each of said compartments spaced along said reactor; (f) a plurality of quench liquid inlets spaced along the topward part of said reactor whereby quench liquid can be introduced into said two or more compartments; and (g) takeoff means for said particulate matter at one end of said reactor.

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Naperville, IL, United States of America

John W Shepard