Propylene; Air

Acrylic acid

To produce acrylic acid from propylene by catalytic oxidation.

Description: Propylene is oxidized with air in vapor phase over solid catalyst developed by MPCL (Mitsubishi Petrochemical Co., Ltd.). The Catalyst gives acrylic acid yield higher than 88 mol% without unreacted propylene and/or acrolein recycle and has excellent stability even under high concentration of propylene in feed gas with life of more than four years.
   Propylene concentration in feed gas is higher than conventional process by split feed of air to first and second reactors (1, 2). This system minimizes feed of air and steam to each reactor, and it becomes unnecessary to feed fresh steam or recycle waste gas for the purpose of avoiding flammable zone. Consequently, energy consumption of this system becomes minimal. Moreover, stable operation can be easily attained because of nonrecycle system.
   In the purification section (3-6), a nonextraction system has been introduced for high recovery rate of acrylic acid and low steam consumption. Acrylic acid is purified by the excellent azeotropic distillation technique that requires only three columns (4-6), whereas five columns are required in case of conventional extraction.

Component Names and Formula