US 11,745,158 B2
Method for monitoring and controlling a polymerization process
Tiziana Caputo, Ferrara (IT); Antonio Mazzucco, Ferrara (IT); Nicolo Arich De Finetti, Ferrara (IT); and Marco Bocchino, Ferrara (IT)
Assigned to Basell Poliolefine Italia S.r.l., Milan (IT)
Appl. No. 17/424,382
Filed by BASELL POLIOLEFINE ITALIA S.R.L., Milan (IT)
PCT Filed Jan. 21, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/051331
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jul. 20, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/152121, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19153106 (EP), filed on Jan. 22, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0072499 A1, Mar. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. B01J 19/00 (2006.01); C08F 2/01 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 19/0033 (2013.01) [B01J 19/2435 (2013.01); C08F 2/01 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00044 (2013.01); B01J 2208/0061 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00672 (2013.01)] 11 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for monitoring and controlling the polymerization in a polymerization reactor containing polymer particles and comprising one or more camera viewing units capable of viewing the interior of the polymerization reactor, comprising the steps of:
a. detecting a fill level of the polymerization reactor containing the polymer particles by capturing one or more images of the environment of the polymer particles by the one or more camera viewing units;
b. comparing the images of the environment to reference images of the environment showing a pre-defined, acceptable fill level of the polymerization reactor; and
c. if the comparison of the images of the environment of the polymer particles with the reference images results in finding a fill level different from the pre-defined, acceptable fill level shown in the reference images, one or more process parameters are modified to eliminate or reduce the difference of fill levels.