	US 7,541,423 B2
	Polyester process using a pipe reactor
Bruce Roger DeBruin, Kingsport, Tenn. (US)
Assigned to Eastman Chemical Company, Kingsport, Tenn. (US)
Filed on Aug. 09, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/891,149.
Application 11/891149 is a continuation of application No. 10/919931, filed on Aug. 17, 2004, granted, now 7,345,139.
Application 10/919931 is a continuation of application No. 10/456212, filed on Jun. 06, 2003, granted, now 6,906,164.
Application 10/456212 is a continuation in part of application No. 10/013318, filed on Dec. 07, 2001, granted, now 6,861,494.
Claims priority of provisional application 60/254040, filed on Dec. 07, 2000.
Prior Publication US 2007/0282092 A1, Dec. 06, 2007
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. C08G 63/02 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 528—308.8 [525/437; 525/439; 525/486; 525/503; 528/271; 528/272; 528/298]

32 Claims

1. A method of producing an oligomer and/or polymer having a terephthalate moiety, said method comprising the steps of:

(a) generating a gaseous fluid from a liquid fluid to thereby provide a two-phase fluid stream, wherein said generating is at least partly accomplished by heating said liquid fluid and/or by subjecting at least a portion of said liquid fluid to a chemical reaction, wherein said heating vaporizes at least a portion of said liquid fluid to thereby form a vaporized fluid, wherein said chemical reaction forms a gaseous by-product, wherein said gaseous fluid comprises at least a portion of said vaporized fluid and/or at least a portion of said gaseous by-product;

(b) flowing at least a portion of the two-phase fluid stream through a pipe reactor, wherein the pipe reactor comprises at least one horizontally-elongated pipe segment, wherein said two-phase fluid stream flows in a stratified flow regime through at least a portion of said horizontally-elongated pipe segment, wherein said stratified flow regime includes having at least a portion of said gaseous fluid flow above at least a portion of said liquid fluid; and

(c) separating at least a portion of the gaseous fluid from the liquid fluid to thereby provide a separated gaseous fluid and a separated liquid proximate a location where the liquid and gaseous fluids are in stratified flow, wherein said separating includes routing the separated gaseous fluid to a different location than the separated liquid fluid.