Shin-etsu Chemical Co., Ltd.

Masatsugu Takano

Tadashi Amano

Yasuhiro Takahashi

Yoshitaka Okuno

Yoshihiko Hirai

Yoshinori Nakahara

A production process for a vinyl chloride polymer is proposed in which either vinyl chloride, or a monomer mixture comprising vinyl chloride, is polymerized in an aqueous medium inside a polymerization vessel, while heat removal is conducted using a reflux condenser. In this process, the liquid level of the contents inside the polymerization vessel is monitored using an electric wave liquid level gauge, which is disposed on the polymerization vessel and radiates microwaves with a frequency of 4 to 20 GHz. The operating efficiency of the reflux condenser can be improved, and the quantity of heat removed by the reflux condenser can be increased. Furthermore, the time required to complete the process, including the raw material addition step and/or the washing step conducted following completion of the polymerization, can be shortened.

Production process for vinyl chloride polymer

A polymerization apparatus comprising a cylindrical polymerization vessel having a straight cylindrical section, a cooling means for cooling the contents of the polymerization vessel, and paddle impellers, each fixed to a central shaft positioned along the center line of the vessel and spaced apart at predetermined positions, each impeller having impeller blades for agitating the contents inside the polymerization vessel as the shaft is rotated, wherein the polymerization vessel has an inner capacity of 100 m.sup.3 or more and has a ratio L/D (the length L of the cylindrical section to the inner diameter D of the vessel) of at least 1.5, wherein three or more of the paddle impellers are arranged on and along said shaft in the center of the vessel, and wherein polymerization/inhibitor charge openings are arranged at positions on the interior surface of the wall of the polymerization vessel in such a manner that one charge opening is provided per paddle impeller at a position on the vessel wall which corresponds to the position of a paddle impeller along the shaft.

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Tsuchiura, Japan

Masatsugu Takano