Combined sequential parallel reactor configuration

1. Reactor configuration for the production of propylene copolymers comprising at least three reactors R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , all reactors having inlet and outlet,

whereby reactors R 2 and R 3 are configured in parallel both downstream of reactor R 1 ; and

whereby reactor R 1 is configured in series and upstream of reactors R 2 and R 3 , and

whereby the outlet of reactor R 1 is coupled with the inlets of both reactors R 2 and R 3 , and

whereby R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are gas phase polymerization reactors.

2. Reactor configuration for the production of propylene copolymers according to claim 1 further comprising reactor R 1 A, whereby reactor R 1 A is configured in series and upstream of reactor R 1 .

3. Reactor configuration for the production of propylene copolymers according to claim 2 , whereby R 1 A is a loop reactor.

4. Process for the polymerization of propylene (co)polymers in a reactor configuration including at least three reactors R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , all reactors having inlet and outlet,

whereby reactors R 2 and R 3 are configured in parallel both downstream of reactor R 1 ;

whereby reactor R 1 is configured in series and upstream of reactors R 2 and R 3 ;

whereby the outlet of reactor R 1 is coupled with the inlets of both reactors R 2 and R 3 , and

whereby R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 are gas phase polymerization reactors,

the process comprising

(b) polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 a α-olefin in reactor R 1 thereby obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ),

(c) withdrawing polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ) from reactor R 1 ,

(d) splitting said withdrawn polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ) into two streams (S 1 ) and (S 2 ) and transferring stream (S 1 ) into reactor R 2 and stream (S 2 ) into reactor R 3 ,

(e) polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 a α-olefin in reactor R 2 obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 3 ), and independently therefrom polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 α-olefin in reactor R 3 obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 4 ), and

(f) combining polypropylene fraction (PP 3 ) and polypropylene fraction (PP 4 ) to yield the final propylene (co)polymer.

5. Process for the polymerization of propylene (co)polymers in a reactor configuration including at least four reactors R 1 A, R 1 , R 2 and R 3 , all reactors having inlet and outlet,

whereby reactor R 1 is configured in series and downstream of reactor R 1 A, and

whereby reactors R 2 and R 3 are configured in parallel both downstream of reactor R 1 ; and

whereby the outlet of reactor R 1 is coupled with the inlets of both reactors R 2 and R 3 ; and

whereby reactor R 1 is configured in series and upstream of reactors R 2 and R 3 , and whereby R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 , are gas phase polymerization reactors, the process comprising

(a) polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 α-olefin in reactor R 1 A obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 1 ), transferring polypropylene fraction (PP 1 ) to reactor R 1 ,

(b) further polymerizing polypropylene fraction (PP 1 ) by feeding propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 α-olefin in reactor R 1 thereby obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ),

(c) withdrawing polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ) from reactor R 1 ,

(d) splitting said withdrawn polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ) into two streams (S 1 ) and (S 2 ) and transferring stream (S 1 ) into reactor R 2 and stream (S 2 ) into reactor R 3 ;

(e) further polymerizing in reactor R 2 by feeding propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 a α-olefin obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 3 ), and independently therefrom polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 a α-olefin in reactor R 3 obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 4 ), and

(f) combining polypropylene fraction (PP 3 ) and polypropylene fraction (PP 4 ) to yield the final propylene (co)polymer.

6. Process according to claim 4 , whereby the weight ratio of the streams (S 1 ):(S 2 ) is from 10:90 to 90:10.

7. Process according to claim 4 , including a pre-polymerization step.

8. Process according to claim 7 , whereby catalyst is fed to the per-polymerization step.

9. Process according to claim 4 , whereby additional catalyst is fed to the withdrawn polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ).

10. Process according to claim 4 , whereby catalyst is fed only to the pre-polymerization step and to the withdrawn polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ).

11. Process according to claim 4 , whereby a heterophasic polypropylene copolymer having a matrix phase and dispersed therein an elastomer phase is made.

12. Process according to claim 11 , wherein the component forming essentially the matrix phase is polymerized in reactors R 1 A, R 1 and R 2 , and the component forming essentially the elastomer phase is polymerized in reactor R 3 .

13. Process according to claim 11 , wherein component forming essentially the matrix phase is polymerized in reactor R 1 A and the component forming essentially the elastomer phase is polymerized in reactors R 1 , R 2 , and R 3 .

14. Process according to claim 11 , wherein component forming essentially the matrix phase is polymerized in reactors R 1 A and R 1 and the component forming essentially the elastomer phase is polymerized in reactors R 2 and R 3 .

15. A method of using a reactor configuration according to claim 1 for increase of throughput and/or productivity versus a sequential reactor setup R 1 -R 2 -R 3 or versus a sequential reactor setup R 1 A-R 1 -R 2 -R 3 , comprising:

(b) polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 α-olefin in reactor R 1 thereby obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ),

(c) withdrawing polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ) from reactor R 1 ,

(d) splitting said withdrawn polypropylene fraction (PP 2 ) into two streams (S 1 ) and (S 2 ) and transferring stream (S 1 ) into reactor R 2 and stream (S 2 ) into reactor R 3 ,

(e) polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 α-olefin in reactor R 2 obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 3 ), and independently therefrom polymerizing propylene and optionally at least one ethylene and/or C4 to C12 α-olefin in reactor R 3 obtaining a polypropylene fraction (PP 4 ), and

(f) combining polypropylene fraction (PP 3 ) and polypropylene fraction (PP 4 ) to yield the final propylene (co)polymer.