Method and apparatus for handling of a fluid

Claim 1

IN A POLYMERIZATION PROCESS, THE IMPROVED METHOD FOR AGITATING IN A UNITARY OPERATION A VISCOUS, SHEAR-SENSITIVE FLUID REACTING MASS, AND EFFECTING IMPROVED HEAT TRANSFER WHICH COMPRISES PROVIDING: (A) A TREATING ZONE; (B) AN INDIRECTLY HEAT EXCHANGNG TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONE SURROUNDING SAID TREATING ZONE; (C) AN INDIRECTLY HEAT EXCHANGING TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONE AXIALLY DISPOSED IN SAID TREATING ZONE, EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY INTO SAID TREATING ZONE FROM ONE END THEREOF AND TERMINATING AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM THE OTHER END THEREOF AND SPACED FROM THE SIDE OF SAID TREATING ZONE PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID TREATING ZONE, THUS PROVIDING AN ANNULUS; (D) A ROTATING AXIALLY DISPOSED CYLINDRICAL AGITATOR CLOSED AT ONE END, IN SAID TREATING ZONE EXTENDING FROM SAID OTHER END OF SAID TREATING ZONE SUBSTANTIALLY TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID TREATING ZONE AND TERMINATING AT A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE FROM SAID ONE END OF SAID TREATING ZONE, SAID CLOSED END BEING AT SAID OTHER END OF SAID TREATING ZONE, AND CYLINDER SUBSTANTIALLY ENCOMPASSING THE AXIALLY DISPOSED TEMERATURE CONTROL ZONE AND, IN PART, BY A DIVISION OF SAID ANULUS, FORMING AND DEFINING WITH SAID AXIALLY DISPOSED TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONE AND WITH SAID SIDE PARALLEL TO THE AXIS OF SAID TREATING ZONE TWO ANNULI COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER AROUND THE END OF THE WALL OF SAID CYLINDER AT ITS OPEN END SAID TWO ANNULI FROM A CONTINUOUS PASSAGEWAY AT THE END OF SAID CLOSED CYLINDERF (E) PROVIDING A SUBSTANTIALLY AXIAL INLET FOR FLUID THROUGH SAID AXIALLY DISPOSED TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONE, INTO THE CLOSED END OF SAID ROTATING CYLINDER; (F) PROVIDING A TREATED FLUID OUTLET FROM SAID TREATING ZONE APPROXIMATELY AT SAID OTHER END THEREOF THUS ESTABLISHING AN UNOBSTRUCTED CONTINUOUS FLOW PATTERN THROUGH SAID AXIAL INLET INTO THE CLOSED END OF SAID CYLINDER, IN SAID CLOSED END OF SAID CYLINDER RADIALLY INTO AND THEN THROUGH SAID ANNULI AND FROM SAID TREATING ZONE THROUGH SAID TREATED FLUID OUTLET; (G) PASSING A TEMPERATURE CONTROL MEDIUM THROUGH EACH OF SAID TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONES; (H) PASSING SAID FLUID THROUGH SAID AXIALLY DISPOSED TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONE INTO THE CLOSED END OF SAID ROTATING CYLINDER; (I) THEN PASSING SAID FLUID THROUGH THE ANNULUS BETWEEN SAID ROTATING CYLINDER AND SAID AXIALLY DISPOSED TEMPERATURE CONTROL ZONE; (J) THEN PASSING SAID FLUID THROUGH THE ANNULUS BETWEEN SAID CYLINDER AND SAID TREATING ZONE; AND (K) THEN REMOVING THE THUS-AGITATED AND TREATED FLUID FROM SAID TREATING ZONE THROUGH SAID OUTLET.