MULTISTAGE, AGITATED CONTACTOR AND ITS USE IN CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF ARYLENE SULFIDE POLYMER

Abstract of the Disclosure A contacting apparatus that is a vertically elongated, cylindrical shell having closed ends and separated by horizontal baffle plates into a multiplicity of discrete chambers with access from one chamber to another through concentric circular holes, axially centered in the baffles with a continuously rotatable shaft extending concentric with the baffles within the shell with at least one agitator means attached to the shaft positioned in each chamber and with the shaft in the circular openings providing annular openings in the baffles such that the ratio of backflow rate to feed rate through the openings is less than 1.5. A method for continuously producing arylene sulfide polymer in which reactants suitable for producing poly(arylene sulfide) are introduced into at least a first chamber of the contacting vessel described above thereby forming a reaction mixture which is passed through the chambers of the contactor while maintaining each chamber within conditions for producing arylene sulfide polymer and recovering arylene sulfide polymer from a chamber removed from the chamber into which the initial reactants are introduced.