Acrylic Esters

Abstract

Propylene, steam and air are fed at atmospheric pressure to two tubular reactors in series. In the first, propylene is oxidised to acrolein at 3700C. In the second, the acrolein is almost completely oxidised at 2700C to acrylic acid. The reactor effluent is partially cooled and then quenched, the acrylic acid is washed with water and solvent. The solvent is removed overhead in the solvent separation column and recycled. After removal of light ends, the acrylic acid is then distilled and removed as an overhead product and sent to storage. The heavy ends are discarded.