Abstract: Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same are provided. A method for forming a polymer catalyst includes reacting a bromoketone compound with an aryl amine compound to form an amide compound. The amide compound is reacted with an ethylene diamine compound, to form a terminal primary amine compound. The terminal primary amine compound is reacted with a bromoaryl compound to form a ligand.

Abstract: Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same are described herein. A catalyst system can include at least three catalysts. The three catalysts include a metallocene catalyst, a first non-metallocene including a ligand complexed to a metal through two or more nitrogen atoms, and a second non-metallocene including a ligand complexed to a metal through one or more nitrogen atoms and an oxygen atom.

Abstract: Multi-stage polymerization processes that produce polymers having controlled compositions and molecular weight with improved catalyst productivity are disclosed. An example method for producing a multi-modal polyolefin comprises polymerizing the multi-modal polyolefin in the presence of a metallocene catalyst system in at least a slurry-phase polymerization stage and a gas-phase polymerization stage arranged in series in any order, wherein the multi-modal olefin comprises: (i) a first polyolefin fraction having a density of less than about 940 kg/m3, and (ii) a second polyolefin fraction having a density of less than about 930 kg/m3.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods of preparing a catalyst system comprising a spray-dried activator and polymerization processes employing these catalyst systems.

Abstract: A polymerization process is disclosed, including: providing a reactor component suspended in a hydrocarbon gel; introducing the reactor component to a polymerization reactor; and polymerizing an olefin in the polymerization reactor to form an olefin-based polymer. Another polymerization process is disclosed, including: providing a hydrocarbon gel comprising a reactor component suspended therein; combining the hydrogen gel with an additional reactor feed; introducing the combined mixture of the hydrocarbon gel and the additional reactor feed to a polymerization reactor; and polymerizing an olefin in the polymerization reactor to form an olefin-based polymer. A hydrocarbon gel is disclosed, including: a liquid hydrocarbon; a gelling agent; and a reactor component.

Abstract: A polymerization process is disclosed, including: polymerizing an olefin to form an olefin-based polymer in a polymerization reactor; and introducing a hindered amine light stabilizer to the polymerization reactor. The process may further comprise monitoring static in the polymerization reactor; maintaining the static at a desired level by use of a hindered amine light stabilizer, the hindered amine light stabilizer present in the reactor in the range from about 0.1 to about 500 ppmw, based on the weight of polymer produced by the process.

Abstract: Methods and systems for olefin polymerization are provided. The method for olefin polymerization can include flowing a catalyst through an injection nozzle and into a fluidized bed disposed within a reactor. The method can also include flowing a feed comprising one or more monomers, one or more inert fluids, or a combination thereof through the injection nozzle and into the fluidized bed. The feed can be at a temperature greater than ambient temperature. The method can also include contacting one or more olefins with the catalyst within the fluidized bed at conditions sufficient to produce a polyolefin.

Abstract: Catalyst systems and methods for making and using the same are provided. The catalyst systems can include a plurality of silica particles and a metallocene catalyst and an activator supported on the plurality of silica particles. The polymerization catalysts have a particle size distribution in which about 10% of the particles have a size less than about 17 to about 23 micrometers, about 50% of the particles have a size less than about 40 to about 45 micrometers, and about 90% of the particles have a size less than about 72 to about 77 micrometers.

Abstract: Methods for producing catalyst systems with increased productivity are disclosed. The methods may comprise providing a catalyst composition comprising a solvent and a single-site catalyst component, heating an inert gas to a temperature in a range of from about 100° C. to about 150° C., and spray drying the catalyst composition in the presence of the inert gas to form a spray-dried catalyst system. Additionally, the methods may comprise providing a catalyst composition comprising a solvent, an activator, a filler material, a metallocene catalyst, and a Group 15-containing catalyst; heating an inert gas to a temperature in a range of from about 100° C. to about 150° C.; and spray drying the catalyst composition in the presence of the inert gas to form a spray-dried catalyst system.

Abstract: This disclosure is directed to processes for producing catalyst compositions having more consistent properties and improved flowability. The processes may involve combining, at a controlled temperature of 30° C. or higher, a metal carboxylate salt with an organic solvent having a dielectric constant at 25° C. of greater than or equal to 3.0 to produce an extracted metal carboxylate salt that is essentially free of carboxylic acids. The extracted metal carboxylate salt may then be combined with a catalyst.

Abstract: Described herein are methods comprising contacting one or more olefins with a catalyst system in a polymerization reactor at conditions sufficient to produce a polyolefin, wherein the catalyst system comprises a first metallocene catalyst compound comprising a first transition metal atom, two cyclopentadienyl ligands bound to the first transition metal atom, and two leaving groups bound to the first transition metal atom, wherein at least one leaving group is selected from the group consisting of a halo-phenoxy and a halo-alkoxy; wherein the first metallocene catalyst compound has a catalyst productivity that is at least 20% greater than a comparative metallocene catalyst compound used to produce the same polyolefin, wherein the comparative metallocene catalyst compound is the same as the first metallocene catalyst compound except neither leaving group is a halo-phenoxy or a halo-alkoxy.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for separating a purge gas recovered from a polyethylene product. The method includes recovering a polyethylene product containing one or more volatile hydrocarbons from a polymerization reactor and contacting the polyethylene product with a purge gas to remove at least a portion of the volatile hydrocarbons to produce a polymer product having a reduced concentration of volatile hydrocarbons and a purge gas product enriched in volatile hydrocarbons. The purge gas product is compressed to a pressure of 2,500 kPaa to 10,000 kPaa, and is then cooled and separated into at least a first product, a second product, and a third product. A portion of one or more of the first, second, or third products is then recycled as a purge gas, to the polymerization reactor, or to the purge gas product enriched in volatile hydrocarbons prior to compression, respectively.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are improvements in recycle gas cooler systems in gas-phase polymerization processes that reduce the tendency for cooler fouling, including a recycle gas cooler system comprising a shell-and-tube heat exchanger. One or more of the tubes of the shell-and-tube heat exchanger may have a flared tube inlet at the tube sheet. The shell-and-tube heat exchanger may also be coupled to a straight inlet pipe having a length that is either at least about 5 times the inner diameter of the straight inlet pipe or at least about 15 feet, whichever is greater.

Abstract: A catalyst system for polymerizing olefin-based polymers and interpolymers is disclosed. The catalyst system may include a supported chromium catalyst and a Ziegler-Natta catalyst comprising a bulking agent, Mg, and Ti. The Ziegler-Natta catalysts in catalyst systems disclosed herein run exceptionally well without addition of excessive amounts of co-catalyst, thus allowing for use of chromium based supported catalysts that would otherwise be overwhelmed by aluminum alkyl. Further, embodiments disclosed herein may be run without an internal electron donor, and the lack of an internal electron donor in the system also prevents poisoning of the chromium catalysts by the internal electron donor. By including or co-feeding a chromium based catalyst with these Ziegler-Natta catalysts, it has been found that the molecular architecture of the resulting polyolefins, such as polyethylenes, may provide for resins with excellent processing properties.

Abstract: Methods for the removal of impurities, for example, carbon monoxide, from a polymerization feed streams are provided.

Abstract: Improved systems and processes for storing resins are disclosed herein. These systems and processes are especially useful for reducing the tendency of resins to sinter. In polymerization processes, the improvements disclosed herein can reduce the tendency of resins to sinter while also allowing downstream operations to continue.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a polymerization reaction in a non-sticking regime are disclosed. An exemplary method includes measuring parameters for the polymerization reaction including a reactor temperature and a concentration of an induced condensing agent (ICA) in a polymerization reactor. An equivalent partial pressure ((PICA)equiv) of the ICA is calculated. The polymerization reaction is located in a two dimension space defined by a reactor temperature dimension and a ((PICA)equiv) dimension. The location in the two dimensional space is compared to an non-sticking regime, defined as the space between an upper temperature limit (UTL) curve and a lower temperature limit (LTL) curve. The parameters of the polymerization reaction are adjusted to keep the polymerization reaction within the non-sticking regime.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling a polymerization reactor in a non-sticking regime are disclosed. An exemplary method includes measuring parameters for the polymerization reaction including a reactor temperature and a concentration of an induced condensing agent (ICA) in a polymerization reactor. An equivalent partial pressure ((PICA)equiv) of the ICA is calculated. The polymerization reactor operation is located in a two dimension space defined by a reactor temperature dimension and a ((PICA)equiv) dimension. The location in the two dimensional space is compared to an non-sticking regime, defined as the space between an upper temperature limit (UTL) curve and a lower temperature limit (LTL) curve. Parameters of the polymerization reactor are adjusted to keep the reactor within the non-sticking regime.

Abstract: Methods and systems for olefin polymerization are provided. The method for olefin polymerization can include flowing a catalyst through an injection nozzle and into a fluidized bed disposed within a reactor. The method can also include flowing a feed comprising one or more monomers, one or more inert fluids, or a combination thereof through the injection nozzle and into the fluidized bed. The feed can be at a temperature greater than ambient temperature. The method can also include contacting one or more olefins with the catalyst within the fluidized bed at conditions sufficient to produce a polyolefin.

Abstract: A polymerization process is disclosed, including: providing a reactor component suspended in a hydrocarbon gel; introducing the reactor component to a polymerization reactor; and polymerizing an olefin in the polymerization reactor to form an olefin-based polymer. Another polymerization process is disclosed, including: providing a hydrocarbon gel comprising a reactor component suspended therein; combining the hydrogen gel with an additional reactor feed; introducing the combined mixture of the hydrocarbon gel and the additional reactor feed to a polymerization reactor; and polymerizing an olefin in the polymerization reactor to form an olefin-based polymer. A hydrocarbon gel is disclosed, including: a liquid hydrocarbon; a gelling agent; and a reactor component.