Methods for separating gaseous components, such as unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent, from polyolefin solids are provided. The methods include contacting a first stream including polyolefin solids and gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent with a first purge gas in a gas-solid separation vessel to separate the gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent from the polyolefin solids to produce a second stream including polyolefin solids substantially free of gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent and a third stream including the gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent. The first purge gas includes hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent and has a temperature of at least about 70° C. when entering the gas-solid separation vessel. Systems for carrying out such methods are also provided.

Methods for separating gaseous components, such as unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent, from polyolefin solids are provided. The methods include contacting a first stream including polyolefin solids and gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent with a first purge gas in a gas-solid separation vessel to separate the gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent from the polyolefin solids to produce a second stream including polyolefin solids substantially free of gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent and a third stream including the gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent. The first purge gas includes hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent and has a temperature of at least about 70° C. when entering the gas-solid separation vessel. Systems for carrying out such methods are also provided.

The present invention relates to a method for producing an ethylene-based copolymer, and more particularly, to a method for producing an ethylene-based copolymer capable of increasing process efficiency by preventing plugging and corrosion of a facility. The method for producing an ethylene-based copolymer includes a producing mode and a washing mode of which one is selectively performed. The producing mode includes: a) hyper-compressing primary compressed ethylene, and a mixture including a carboxylic acid-containing comonomer and a polar solvent to produce a compressed material; b) reacting the compressed material to produce a reaction product including an ethylene-based copolymer; and c) separating and recovering unreacted residues from the reaction product and introducing the unreacted residues into the mixture of step a). The washing mode includes: re-supplying the compressed material produced in step a) to step a) as a mixture, without performing step b).

In a process for producing an olefin polymer, an olefin monomer is polymerized to produce a particulate polymer product containing unreacted monomer. The polymer product is contacted with an inert gas to strip hydrocarbon impurities therefrom and produce a stripped polymer product and a gaseous first effluent stream containing inert gas and hydrocarbons. The stripped polymer product is recovered and the first effluent stream is compressed and cooled to condense hydrocarbons contained therein and produce a gaseous second effluent stream. Part of the second effluent stream is contacted with a first membrane separator to produce a first hydrocarbon-enriched permeate stream and a first hydrocarbon-depleted residue stream. The first residue stream is contacted with a second membrane separator to produce a second hydrocarbon-enriched permeate stream and a second hydrocarbon-depleted residue stream. The second permeate stream and an oxidizing agent are supplied to a flameless thermal oxidation unit.

In a process for producing an olefin polymer, an olefin monomer is polymerized to produce a particulate polymer product containing unreacted monomer. The polymer product is contacted with an inert gas to strip hydrocarbon impurities therefrom and produce a stripped polymer product and a gaseous first effluent stream containing inert gas and hydrocarbons. The stripped polymer product is recovered and the first effluent stream is compressed and cooled to condense hydrocarbons contained therein and produce a gaseous second effluent stream. Part of the second effluent stream is contacted with a first membrane separator to produce a first hydrocarbon-enriched permeate stream and a first hydrocarbon-depleted residue stream. The first residue stream is contacted with a second membrane separator to produce a second hydrocarbon-enriched permeate stream and a second hydrocarbon-depleted residue stream. The second permeate stream and an oxidizing agent are supplied to a flameless thermal oxidation unit.

A process to form a first composition comprising a functionalized olefin-based polymer comprises: a) polymerizing a composition comprising an olefin to form a reaction product comprising an olefin-based polymer; b) subjecting at least a portion of the reaction product to at least one devolatilization to form a polymer-rich melt, wherein step b) occurs downstream from and in-line with step a); and c) reacting at least a portion of the polymer-rich melt with at least one functionalization agent and, optionally, at least one free-radical initiator to form the first composition, wherein step c) occurs downstream from and in-line with step b), wherein “the viscosity of the functionalized olefin-based polymer (177° C./350° F.)” to “the viscosity of the olefin-based polymer (177° C./350° F.)” is from 0.1 to 5.0.

A process to form a first composition comprising a functionalized olefin-based polymer comprises: a) polymerizing a composition comprising an olefin to form a reaction product comprising an olefin-based polymer; b) subjecting at least a portion of the reaction product to at least one devolatilization to form a polymer-rich melt, wherein step b) occurs downstream from and in-line with step a); and c) reacting at least a portion of the polymer-rich melt with at least one functionalization agent and, optionally, at least one free-radical initiator to form the first composition, wherein step c) occurs downstream from and in-line with step b), wherein “the viscosity of the functionalized olefin-based polymer (177° C./350° F.)” to “the viscosity of the olefin-based polymer (177° C./350° F.)” is from 0.1 to 5.0.

A process comprising polymerizing olefin monomers and optionally comonomers in a first reactor vessel, thereby forming a raw product stream comprising polymerized solids, unreacted monomer and optionally comonomer, the polymerized solids comprising olefin polymer, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and catalyst system. Then the polymerized solids are contacted with a catalyst poison selected from carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, alcohols, amines, or mixtures thereof, thereby forming a passivated stream. The passivated stream is maintained in an agitated state within a second reactor. The passivated stream within the second reactor is then contacted with a circulating gas comprising unreacted monomer for a residence time, thereby reducing the concentration of VOC in the polymerized solids by at least 10 wt % compared to the level before entering the second reactor, thereby forming a purified olefin polymer solids stream.

A process comprising polymerizing olefin monomers and optionally comonomers in a first reactor vessel, thereby forming a raw product stream comprising polymerized solids, unreacted monomer and optionally comonomer, the polymerized solids comprising olefin polymer, volatile organic compounds (VOC) and catalyst system. Then the polymerized solids are contacted with a catalyst poison selected from carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, oxygen, water, alcohols, amines, or mixtures thereof, thereby forming a passivated stream. The passivated stream is maintained in an agitated state within a second reactor. The passivated stream within the second reactor is then contacted with a circulating gas comprising unreacted monomer for a residence time, thereby reducing the concentration of VOC in the polymerized solids by at least 10 wt % compared to the level before entering the second reactor, thereby forming a purified olefin polymer solids stream.

The present disclosure provides for a separations system for separating ethylene, 2-methylbutane and at least one unsubstituted (C6-C12) hydrocarbon in a multi-component condensate mixture. The separations system includes a feed conduit in fluid communication with a source of the multi-component condensate mixture, a stripper column in fluid communication with the feed conduit, where the stripper column separates the multi-component condensate mixture into a heavies component mixture with at least one unsubstituted (C6-C12) hydrocarbon, and a top mixture having a medium component (s) that include at least the 2-methylbutane and a light component (s) that include at least the ethylene. The separations system further includes a flash drum that separates the top mixture into the medium component (s) and the light component (s). The separations system does not include a distillation column disposed between the source of the multi-component condensate mixture and the flash drum.