A continuous process for the production of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) is disclosed. According to the process, a liquid feed mixture comprising bis-3-hydroxypropyl terephthalate and/or low molecular weight polyesters of 1,3-propanediol and terephthalic acid, the liquid feed mixture-having a mole ratio of propylene groups to terephthalate groups of 1.1 to 2.2 is fed to a flasher. A first stream of gaseous by-products is continuously vaporized and removed from the flasher, and a liquid flasher reaction product having a mole ratio of propylene groups to terephthalate groups of less than about 1.5 is continuously withdrawn from the flasher. The liquid flasher reaction product is continuously fed to a prepolymerizer where it is continuously polymerized to form a poly(trimethylene terephthalate) prepolymer and a second stream of gaseous by-products. Poly(trimethylene terephthalate) prepolymer having a relative viscosity of at least about 5 is continuously withdrawn from the prepolymerizer and continuously fed to a final polymerizer, where it is continuously polymerized to form a higher molecular weight poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and a third stream of gaseous by-products. Higher molecular weight poly(trimethylene terephthalate) having a relative viscosity of at least about 17 is continuously withdrawn from the final polymerizer.
本发明公开了一种生产聚
对苯二甲酸三亚甲基
丙烷酯的连续工艺。根据该工艺,将一种液态进料混合物送入闪蒸器中,该液态进料混合物包括双-3-羟基丙基
对苯二甲酸酯和/或
1,3-丙二醇和
对苯二甲酸的低分子量聚酯,该液态进料混合物的
丙烯基组与
对苯二甲酸酯组的摩尔比为1.1至2.2。第一气体副产物流被连续蒸发并从闪蒸器中移除,连续从闪蒸器中取出摩尔比为
丙烯基组与
对苯二甲酸酯组小于约1.5的液态闪蒸反应产物。将液态闪蒸反应产物连续送入预聚合反应器中,其中它被连续聚合形成聚
对苯二甲酸三亚甲基
丙烷酯预聚体和第二气体副产物流。具有相对粘度至少约5的聚
对苯二甲酸三亚甲基
丙烷酯预聚体被连续从预聚合反应器中取出,并连续送入最终聚合反应器中,在该反应器中连续聚合形成更高分子量的聚
对苯二甲酸三亚甲基
丙烷酯和第三气体副产物流。具有相对粘度至少约17的更高分子量的聚
对苯二甲酸三亚甲基
丙烷酯被连续从最终聚合反应器中取出。