US 12,065,522 B2
Process for making propylene-based terpolymer
Erik Delsman, Geleen (NL); Petrus Johannes Hubertus Bronsaer, Geleen (NL); Henrica Norberta Alberta Maria Steenbakkers-Menting, Geleen (NL); and Gopala Krishna Surisetty, Geleen (NL)
Assigned to SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V., Bergen op Zoom (NL)
Appl. No. 17/262,075
Filed by SABIC GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES B.V., Bergen Op Zoom (NL)
PCT Filed Jul. 25, 2019, PCT No. PCT/EP2019/070047
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 21, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/021012, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 30, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 18186002 (EP), filed on Jul. 27, 2018.
Prior Publication US 2021/0292449 A1, Sep. 23, 2021
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C08F 210/06 (2006.01); C08F 2/01 (2006.01); C08F 4/646 (2006.01); C08F 4/654 (2006.01); C08F 210/02 (2006.01); C08F 210/08 (2006.01); C08F 210/14 (2006.01); C08L 23/16 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); C08F 210/16 (2006.01); C08L 23/20 (2006.01)
CPC C08F 210/06 (2013.01) [C08F 2/01 (2013.01); C08F 4/646 (2013.01); C08F 4/654 (2013.01); C08F 210/02 (2013.01); C08F 210/08 (2013.01); C08F 210/14 (2013.01); C08L 23/16 (2013.01); B01J 19/0053 (2013.01); B01J 2219/182 (2013.01); C08F 210/16 (2013.01); C08L 23/20 (2013.01); C08L 2314/02 (2013.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A process for production of a propylene based terpolymer, comprising:
propylene,
a first distinct monomer which is ethylene or C4-C12 α-olefin,
a second distinct monomer which is ethylene or C4-C12 α-olefin,
wherein
the first distinct monomer and the second distinct monomer are not the same, and the said process is performed in the presence of a catalyst system in a horizontal stirred reactor (100) comprising:
an agitated bed for forming polymer particles,
a plurality of liquid feed ports (111, 112) that are subsequently arranged along a top side of the reactor above the agitated bed, the plurality of liquid feed ports comprising at least a first set of the liquid feed ports (111) and a second set of the liquid feed ports (112) arranged subsequent to the first set of the liquid feed ports in a downstream direction of the process, and
a plurality of gas feed ports (114, 115) that are subsequently arranged along a bottom side of the reactor below the agitated bed, the plurality of gas feed ports comprising at least a first set of gas feed ports (114) and a second set of gas feed ports (115) arranged subsequent to the first set of gas feed ports in the downstream direction of the process,
a plurality of reactor off-gas ports (116) that are arranged along a top side of the reactor above the agitated bed,
wherein the process comprises the steps of:
recovering a reactor off-gas (117) comprising H2, propylene, and said first and second distinct monomers from the reactor through the reactor off-gas ports (116),
feeding the reactor off-gas (117) to a condenser (150) to form a gas-liquid mixture (118),
feeding the gas-liquid mixture (118) to a separator (140) to obtain a first gas stream (121) and a first liquid stream (119):
the first gas stream (121) comprising:
H2,
propylene, and
one or both of the first and second distinct monomers, in an higher mole fraction than in the first liquid stream when they are lighter than propylene and
the first liquid stream (119) comprising:
H2,
propylene, and
one or both of the first and second distinct monomers, in an higher mole fraction than in the first gas stream when they are heavier than propylene,
wherein fresh propylene is optionally further fed to the system, through the separator (140) and/or added to the first liquid stream (119),
feeding the catalyst system to the reactor through a port arranged on the top side of the reactor,
feeding a first quench liquid (101) comprising propylene through the first set of the liquid feed ports (111),
feeding a second quench liquid (103) comprising:
H2 in a higher concentration than in the first quench liquid,
propylene, and
the first and second distinct monomers,
to the reactor through the second set of liquid feed ports (112), wherein second quench liquid (103) comprises at least part of the first liquid stream (119),
feeding a poor first bottom gas (102) comprising fresh propylene through the first set of gas feed ports (114),
feeding a second bottom gas (104) comprising:
H2 in a higher concentration than in the first bottom gas,
propylene, and
the first and second distinct monomers
through the second set of gas feed ports (115), wherein the second bottom gas (104) comprises at least part of the first gas stream (121), and
collecting the polymer particles formed in the agitated bed from the reactor,
wherein the said process comprises the further following steps:
at least one fresh of the two distinct monomers when it is lighter than propylene, is fed to:
the reactor as
a part of the first bottom gas (102) and/or
as part of the second bottom gas (104)
and/or fed to the separator (140);
at least one fresh of two distinct monomers when it is heavier than propylene, is fed:
to the reactor as:
a part of the first quench liquid (101) and/or
a part of the second quench liquid (103)
and/or to the separator (140).