Continuous process for the polymerization of vinyl acetate in hydrocarbons

Claim 1

A CONTINUOUS PROCESS FOR POLYMERIZING VINYL ACETATE WHICH COMPRISES (A) MAINTAINING AS A LIQUID IN A REACTION VESSEL AT A SELECTED REACTION TEMPERATURE WITHIN THE RANGE 60* C. TO 150* C., AS SATURATED HYDROCARBON MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PARAFFINS AND CYCLOPARAFFINS HAVING AT LEAST SIX CARBON ATOMS, DODECYL BENZENE AND MIXTURES OF ANY OF THE FOREGOING; (B) SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY ADDING TO SAID HYDROCARBON IN SAID REACTION VESSEL MONOMERIC VINYL ACETATE AND AN ORGANIC PEROXIDE POLYMERIZATION CATALYST FOR VINYL ACETATE, TO CAUSE POLYMERIZATION OF SAID VINYL ACETATE; (C) ALLOWING THE RESULTANT POLYVINYL ACETATE TO SETTLE AS A SEPARATE VISCOUS LIQUID LAYER AT THE BOTTOM OF THE REACTION VESSEL; AND (D) WHILE MAINTAINING IT AS A VISCOUS LIQUID BY HEATING, WITHDRAWING THE POLYVINYL ACETATE AS A LIQUID FROM THE REACTION VESSEL AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME RATE THAT MONOMERIC VINYL ACETATE IS ADDED TO THE REACTION VESSEL.