Patents by Inventor Andre Lewalle

Andre Lewalle has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20070036692
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymerization process for producing olefin polymers in a loop reactor comprising the steps of introducing into the loop reactor one or more olefin reactants, polymerization catalysts and diluents, and while circulating said reactants, catalysts and diluents, polymerizing said one or more olefin reactants to produce a polymer slurry comprising essentially liquid diluent and solid olefin polymer particles, said process further comprising one or more cycles of: (a) allowing said polymer slurry to settle in one or more setting legs connected to said reactor, and (b) discharging from a setting leg a predetermined volume of polymer slurry substantially equal to the volume of polymer slurry settled in said settling leg since its previous discharge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 9, 2006
    Publication date: February 15, 2007
    Inventor: Andre Lewalle
  • Publication number: 20070032613
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for controlling the onset and development of swelling in a slurry loop reactor by progressively diluting the reactor, the amount of dilution being driven by the amplitude of the fluctuations measured on some plant measurement.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Publication date: February 8, 2007
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Andre Lewalle, Marc der Auwera, Frans Den Brande
  • Publication number: 20060094835
    Abstract: The present invention discloses a slurry loop reactor comprising one or more loops, capable of improving the properties of the product by enhanced homogeneity of the circulating slurry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2003
    Publication date: May 4, 2006
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Andre Lewalle
  • Publication number: 20050272891
    Abstract: The present invention relates to an apparatus and process for polymerizing olefins. One embodiment comprises polymerizing at least one monomer in a first loop reactor in the presence of a catalyst to produce a first polyolefin fraction. A portion of the first polyolefin fraction is transferred to a second loop reactor, connected in series with the first loop reactor. The process further comprises polymerizing in the second loop reactor at least one monomer in the presence of a catalyst to produce a second polyolefin fraction in addition to the first polyolefin fraction. The combination of the first and second polyolefin fractions can produce a polymer resin fluff having bimodal molecular weight distribution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2005
    Publication date: December 8, 2005
    Applicant: ATOFINA Research S.A.
    Inventors: Louis Fouarge, Eric Damme, Olivier Miserque, Daniel Siraux, Philippe Bodart, Andre Lewalle, Marc Auwera, Frans Brande, Giacomo Conti, Hugo Vandaele, Mark Verleysen, Carl Camp, Etienne Laurent, Philippe Marechal, Marc Moers, Leopold D'Hooghe, Marjan Sillis, Kai Hortman, Pascal Folie, Renaud Oreins