Technology Type

Modern Technology for the Production of Polypropylene are either based on Bulk and Gas-Phase Polymerization of Propylene in a Loop Reactor (LR) geometry, pure Gas-Phase Polymerization in Stirred Bed Reactors (SBR) or Fluidized Bed Reactors (FBR).

When a Combination of different Reactor Types or a Combination of Polymerization Phases is employed, the Process is called a Hybrid Technology.

Such is the case for the “Spherizone” or Multi-Zone Circulating Reactor (MZCR) Technology of Lyondellbasell, which combines two distinct Reaction Zones, and for the Borstar Technology of Borealis^® PP Technology, which combines Slurry-Loop and Gas-Phase Fluidized Bed Reactors (GPR).   

Source: Bergstra, M.F. et al. Polymerization in the Borstar Polypropylene Hybrid Process: Combining Technology and Catalyst for Optimized Product Performance. Polymers 2022, 14, 4763.