High-pressure polymerization system and high-pressure polymerization process for the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated monomers

Abstract

A high-pressure polymerization system comprising a) a continuously operable polymerization reactor having a reactor inlet and having a reactor outlet and b) a reactor blow down system adapted and arranged to be in fluid communication with the polymerization reactor, the reactor blow down system comprising b1) a reactor blow down vessel, which contains an aqueous quenching medium, b2) one or more release lines, which connect the polymerization reactor with the reactor blow down vessel and which comprise a release line outlet for expanding a content of the high-pressure polymerization system comprising polymer and gaseous components into the reactor blow down vessel, where the release line outlets are located above a maximum level for the aque- ous quenching medium, and wherein the one or more release lines are provided with a rupture disc that automatically allows the content of the high-pressure polymerization system to pass through the one or more release lines into the reactor blow down vessel, if a predetermined pressure threshold in the reactor is exceeded.

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