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By Intratec Solutions
Acrylic acid is a moderately strong carboxylic acid primarily used as an intermediate in the production of acrylate esters. These acrylate esters are then mainly used to manufacture adhesives, plastics additives, coatings, paints and textiles.
The process
Figure 1 depicts a propylene oxidation process similar to technology for the production of ester-grade acrylic acid (EAA) that was developed by Lurgi GmbH (Frankfurt, Germany; part of Air Liquide; Paris; www.airliquide.com) and Nippon Kayaku (Tokyo; www.nipponkayaku.co.jp). This process is described in the next paragraphs.
Reaction and quench. Chemicalgrade (CG) propylene is mixed with steam and air and fed to a two-step oxidation reaction system. In the first step, the propylene is oxidized to acrolein and, in the second step, the acrolein is oxidized to acrylic acid. Both steps are carried out in tubular, fixedbed reactors. The heat generated by the exothermic reactions is used to generate steam....