Process for the production of acrylic acid

US7294741B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• Stockhausen GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Gunther Bub · Marl, DE
• Jurgen Mosler · Marl, DE
• Dietrich Maschmeyer · Recklinghausen, DE
• Andreas Sabbagh · Dülmen, DE
• Roland Fornika · Dülmen, DE
• Matthias Peuckert · Hünxe, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 13, 2002
• Grant date: Nov 13, 2007
• Expiry date: Aug 12, 2023

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C07C51/252
• WIPO field: Organic fine chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for the production of acrylic acid (AA) comprising the steps wherein: a) a 1st gas mixture comprising propylene, oxygen, an inert gas and steam is subjected to a 1st catalytic oxidation reaction stage thereby converting the propylene in the presence of a catalyst mainly into acrolein being contained in a 2nd gas mixture from said 1st catalytic oxidation reaction, b) said 2nd gas mixture from the 1st catalytic oxidation reaction stage is subjected to a 2nd catalytic oxidation reaction stage thereby converting the acrolein in the presence of a catalyst mainly into AA, being contained in a product gas, c) said product gas is subjected to a quench tower, wherein said AA is recovered as an aqueous solution comprising said AA being contained in the process water, wherein a process vent gas is obtained at the top of said quench tower, wherein, said 1st gas mixture has a steam/propylene ratio of >0.3 and <2 and, the amount of said process water is less or equal to the amount of water in said aqueous solution withdrawn from the quench tower.