The present invention provides a continuous polymerization apparatus capable of simply and efficiently separating a polymer and solid matter from a reaction mixture while having an apparatus configuration conducive to washing and maintenance, and a continuous production method for a polymer. A continuous polymerization apparatus (100) includes a plurality of reaction vessels (1a to 1c), wherein the plurality of reaction vessels are configured such that reaction mixtures (9a to 9c) successively move through each reaction vessel; in the plurality of reaction vessels, gas phase parts formed above the reaction mixture communicate with one another; and the continuous polymerization apparatus includes a washing part (5), the washing part configured to separate a solid included in the reaction mixture by sedimentation and to perform countercurrent washing.

The production method of the present invention includes a step of supplying an organic polar solvent, a sulfur source, and a dihalo aromatic compound as reaction raw materials to at least one of a plurality of reaction vessels mutually communicated via a gas phase; a step of removing at least a portion of the water present in the reaction vessels; and a step of performing a polymerization reaction. These steps are carried out in parallel, and the reaction mixture is sequentially moved between reaction vessels. At that time, the internal temperatures of the reaction vessels are all not less than 150 C.

The production method of the present invention includes a step of supplying an organic polar solvent, a sulfur source, and a dihalo aromatic compound as reaction raw materials to at least one of a plurality of reaction vessels mutually communicated via a gas phase; a step of removing at least a portion of the water present in the reaction vessels; and a step of performing a polymerization reaction. These steps are carried out in parallel, and the reaction mixture is sequentially moved between reaction vessels. At that time, the internal temperatures of the reaction vessels are all not less than 150 C.

Provided is a continuous production apparatus and a continuous production method capable of preventing the countercurrent of evaporation components generated at the time of polymerization so that continuous solution polymerization reactions can progress reliably. A continuous production apparatus (100) includes a housing chamber (2) configured to house a plurality of reaction vessels (1a to 1d); wherein a reaction mixture is formed by subjecting monomers to a polymerization reaction in a solvent in at least one of the reaction vessels; the reaction vessels communicate with one another via a gas phase part (4); the reaction vessels are sequentially connected; the reaction mixture successively moves to each of the reaction vessels; and the housing chamber includes a baffle (9) configured to narrow the cross-sectional area of the gas phase part at the boundary between at least one pair of adjacent reaction vessels or in the vicinity of the boundary.

The production method of the present invention includes a step of supplying an organic polar solvent, a sulfur source, and a dihalo aromatic compound as reaction raw materials to at least one of a plurality of reaction vessels mutually communicated via a gas phase; a step of removing at least a portion of the water present in the reaction vessels; and a step of performing a polymerization reaction. These steps are carried out in parallel, and the reaction mixture is sequentially moved between reaction vessels. At that time, the internal temperatures of the reaction vessels are all not less than 150 C.

The production method of the present invention includes a step of supplying an organic polar solvent, a sulfur source, and a dihalo aromatic compound as reaction raw materials to at least one of a plurality of reaction vessels mutually communicated via a gas phase; a step of removing at least a portion of the water present in the reaction vessels; and a step of performing a polymerization reaction. These steps are carried out in parallel, and the reaction mixture is sequentially moved between reaction vessels. At that time, the internal temperatures of the reaction vessels are all not less than 150 C.

A method of producing a PAS, which is the method capable of providing a PAS having a high melt viscosity in high yield in a shorter polymerization time, is provided. The method including: a preparation step; a first polymerization step; and subsequently a second polymerization step for continuing to perform a polymerization reaction by adding to the reaction mixture from 0.09 to 0.2 mol of an additional alkali metal hydroxide relative to 1 mol of the sulfur source. In the first polymerization step, the polymerization reaction is performed on condition that a pH of the reaction mixture is 11 or higher until a conversion ratio of the dihalo aromatic compound being 50 mol % or greater.

A method of producing a PAS, which is the method capable of providing a PAS having a high melt viscosity in high yield in a shorter polymerization time, is provided. The method including: a preparation step; a first polymerization step; and subsequently a second polymerization step for continuing to perform a polymerization reaction by adding to the reaction mixture from 0.09 to 0.2 mol of an additional alkali metal hydroxide relative to 1 mol of the sulfur source. In the first polymerization step, the polymerization reaction is performed on condition that a pH of the reaction mixture is 11 or higher until a conversion ratio of the dihalo aromatic compound being 50 mol % or greater.

The production method of the present invention includes: a supplying step of supplying reaction raw materials to at least one of a plurality of reaction vessels mutually communicated through a gas phase; a polymerizing step of carrying out a polymerization reaction; and a step of removing at least some of the water present in the reaction vessels. Each of the steps is carried out in parallel, and a reaction mixture is transferred sequentially between the reaction vessels. The total amount of water contained in the reaction raw materials in at least one of the reaction vessels to which the reaction raw materials are supplied is 3 moles or more per mole of the sulfur source, and the internal temperature of at least one of the reaction vessels to which the reaction raw materials are supplied is from 180 C. to 300 C.

The production method of the present invention includes: a supplying step of supplying reaction raw materials to at least one of a plurality of reaction vessels mutually communicated through a gas phase; a polymerizing step of carrying out a polymerization reaction; and a step of removing at least some of the water present in the reaction vessels. Each of the steps is carried out in parallel, and a reaction mixture is transferred sequentially between the reaction vessels. The total amount of water contained in the reaction raw materials in at least one of the reaction vessels to which the reaction raw materials are supplied is 3 moles or more per mole of the sulfur source, and the internal temperature of at least one of the reaction vessels to which the reaction raw materials are supplied is from 180 C. to 300 C.