Systems and methods for improved degassing of polymer flake are provided herein. These systems include a polymerization reactor configured to polymerize one or more olefin monomers and produce a product stream comprising solid polymer flake entrained in a fluid; a flash chamber configured to separate the solid polymer flake from the fluid and to produce a fluid stream and a concentrated stream; and a first degassing chamber configured to separate the concentrated stream by contacting the concentrated stream with a purge fluid comprising one or more light hydrocarbons to produce a partially degassed polymer flake stream and a purge fluid stream.

The method produces hollow resin particles. The method comprising steps of: preparing a mixture liquid comprising (A) a monomer comprising at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of a monovinyl monomer and a hydrophilic monomer excluding acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile, (B) a crosslinkable monomer, (C) an oil-soluble polymerization initiator, (E) a hydrocarbon solvent, (F) a suspension stabilizer and (G) an aqueous medium; carrying out a suspension treatment of the mixture liquid to prepare a suspension; carrying out a polymerization reaction of the suspension to prepare a precursor composition; carrying out a solid-liquid separation of the precursor composition to obtain the precursor particles; and removing the hydrocarbon solvent (E) included in the precursor particles.

The method produces hollow resin particles. The method comprising steps of: preparing a mixture liquid comprising (A) a monomer comprising at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of a monovinyl monomer and a hydrophilic monomer excluding acrylonitrile and methacrylonitrile, (B) a crosslinkable monomer, (C) an oil-soluble polymerization initiator, (E) a hydrocarbon solvent, (F) a suspension stabilizer and (G) an aqueous medium; carrying out a suspension treatment of the mixture liquid to prepare a suspension; carrying out a polymerization reaction of the suspension to prepare a precursor composition; carrying out a solid-liquid separation of the precursor composition to obtain the precursor particles; and removing the hydrocarbon solvent (E) included in the precursor particles.

Disclosed are a process for operating a flashline heater and a flashline separation system. In the process and system, heat is supplied to the flashline heater by a first steam stage followed by a second steam stage. The steam pressure is controlled by a steam control system such that the pressure in the first steam stage is not equal to the pressure in the second steam stage. Also disclosed is a process for retrofitting a steam control system in a flashline separation system of an olefin polymerization system at least by changing the number of steam stages in the flashline separation system to include a first steam stage followed by a second steam stage, and changing the stream pressure control scheme such that the pressure in the first steam stage is independently controlled to be not equal to the pressure in the second steam stage.

Disclosed are a process for operating a flashline heater and a flashline separation system. In the process and system, heat is supplied to the flashline heater by a first steam stage followed by a second steam stage. The steam pressure is controlled by a steam control system such that the pressure in the first steam stage is not equal to the pressure in the second steam stage. Also disclosed is a process for retrofitting a steam control system in a flashline separation system of an olefin polymerization system at least by changing the number of steam stages in the flashline separation system to include a first steam stage followed by a second steam stage, and changing the stream pressure control scheme such that the pressure in the first steam stage is independently controlled to be not equal to the pressure in the second steam stage.

A purge system for a polymerization system may include a purge column including a stripping zone and a stripping fluid distributor below the stripping zone for injecting a stripping fluid including one or more light olefins. A first displacement zone is below the distributor. A second displacement zone is below the first displacement zone. A nitrogen distributor introduces nitrogen in the second displacement zone. Another purge system for a polymerization system may include a fluidized bed separator and a purge column. The fluidized bed separator includes a separator inlet, a stripping fluid inlet, a first stripped fluid outlet, and a separator outlet. The purge column includes a flake inlet, a stripping zone, a stripping fluid distributor below the stripping zone, a stripped flake outlet, and a second stripped fluid outlet for a second stripped fluid from the purge column.

A method for controlling a residual monomer content of a polymer, wherein when a hot-air temperature and a hot-air velocity are maintained, the controlling method can predict the content of the residual monomer by controlling a hot-air mass ratio without influence of other external factors.

A method for controlling a residual monomer content of a polymer, wherein when a hot-air temperature and a hot-air velocity are maintained, the controlling method can predict the content of the residual monomer by controlling a hot-air mass ratio without influence of other external factors.

Methods for separating gaseous components, such as unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent, from polyolefin solids are provided. The methods include flowing a first stream including polyolefin solids and gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent through a portion of a gas-solid separation vessel having a volume sufficient so that polyolefin solids present in the first stream have an increased residence time within the gas-solid separation vessel to separate 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. 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 flowing a first stream including polyolefin solids and gaseous unreacted hydrocarbon monomer and/or solvent through a portion of a gas-solid separation vessel having a volume sufficient so that polyolefin solids present in the first stream have an increased residence time within the gas-solid separation vessel to separate 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. Systems for carrying out such methods are also provided.