New Taylor reactor, e.g. for production of polymers, has a reaction volume in the form of an annular gap which widens in the direction of flow, with a rotor driven by a drive shaft through the base of the reactor

摘要

A Taylor reactor with a reaction volume in the form of an annular gap which becomes wider in the direction of flow of the reaction mixture, comprises an outer reactor wall and a concentric rotor with one supported end connected to a drive shaft through the reactor base and the other unsupported end in the outlet zone. A Taylor reactor (1) comprises: (a) a reaction volume (2) in the form of an annular gap which widens in the direction of flow of the reaction medium, opens out into an outlet zone (9) and is defined by an outer reactor wall (3), a concentric rotor (4) with one end (4.1) on a bearing in the reactor base (5) and the other end (4.2) (with diameter less than or equal to that of 4.1) unsupported under zone (9) and a reactor base (5) with a seal (6) for the drive shaft (7); (b) an inlet zone (8) in the narrowest part of zone (9) above the base (5), with at least one inlet (8.1) at the side and/or through the base for starting materials and/or process substances; (c) an outlet zone (9) with no dead volumes which is situated above the unsupported end (4.2) of the rotor and the annular gap (2), opens out further above the annular gap or remains the same and then narrows to a product take-off (10); (d) a product take-off (10) with no dead volumes, which opens out to its widest at the outlet zone (9) and becomes narrower in the other direction; and (e) a pressure valve (11) at the other end (10.1) of the take-off (10). An Independent claim is also included for a method for the production of (co)polymers, block copolymers and graft copolymers by radical, anionic or cationic bulk polymerisation of olefinic monomer(s) in the inventive Taylor reactor by injecting the monomer(s) via inlet(s) (8.1), carrying out polymerisation under Taylor flow conditions in the annular reaction volume (2) and taking off liquid polymer via parts (9), (10) and (11).