Methacrylic Acid Production Temperature Control

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional methods for producing high concentration (meth)acrylic acid solutions through catalytic vapor phase oxidation struggle to maintain stable concentration due to temperature fluctuations of the (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas, leading to inefficiencies in purification and increased operational costs.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method that controls the temperature of the (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas by using a waste heat recovery type heat exchanger to maintain a consistent cooling temperature, ensuring the gas supplied to the absorption tower remains within a controlled range, and providing heating means in the absorption tower to adjust the heat removal amount, thereby stabilizing the concentration of the (meth)acrylic acid solution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas is cooled before being supplied to the absorption tower, then the concentration of the (meth)acrylic acid solution is improved, but the temperature control stability becomes insufficient due to catalyst activity fluctuations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconcentration of (meth)acrylic acid solutionVSAvoidtemperature control stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The gas is cooled in advance before being supplied to the absorption tower, and the cooling temperature is set to a lower limit to ensure that even when catalyst activity fluctuates, the gas temperature remains within the range that allows the absorption tower to maintain stable operation and produce consistent concentration (75% or higher) (meth)acrylic acid solution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By changing the cooling temperature parameter and setting it to not lower than a predetermined lower limit, the system adapts to catalyst activity fluctuations while maintaining the gas temperature within the optimal range for stable absorption tower operation and high concentration solution production

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the gas temperature is reduced to increase (meth)acrylic acid concentration, then the solution concentration is improved, but the catalyst activity may be affected and operational stability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconcentration of (meth)acrylic acid solutionVSAvoidoperational stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The gas is cooled in advance before entering the absorption tower, with the cooling temperature set to a lower limit that ensures the gas temperature is sufficiently reduced to achieve high concentration (75% or higher) (meth)acrylic acid solution while still maintaining operational stability even when catalyst activity fluctuates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

By setting the cooling temperature lower limit in advance, the system prepares for potential catalyst activity fluctuations, ensuring that the gas temperature is always within the range that allows the absorption tower to maintain stable operation and produce consistent high concentration solution

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach allows for the consistent production of (meth)acrylic acid solutions with concentrations of 75% or higher, reducing fluctuations and operational challenges, enhancing production efficiency and simplifying subsequent purification steps.

Implementation Method 1

controls the temperature of the (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas by using a waste heat recovery type heat exchanger

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectHeat exchange: Heat Exchanger

Implementation Method 2

introducing the gas to an absorption tower and contacting with an absorbing agent for acrylic acid, and separating non-condensable gas

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectCondensation: Condensation

Implementation Method 3

contacting with an absorbing agent for acrylic acid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP2100873B1Process for producing (METH)acrylic acid

Publication Date: 2017.01.25 NIPPON SHOKUBAI CO LTD

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AI summary

A method for producing (meth)acrylic acid relevant to the present invention has the step for producing (meth) acrylic acid-containing gas by subjecting raw material gas to a catalytic vapor phase oxidation reaction in a reactor for catalytic vapor phase oxidation; and the step for obtaining a (meth)acrylic acid solution by introducing (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas thus produced to an absorption tower and separating non-condensable gas from (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas, and it is an object to provide a method for obtaining a high concentration acrylic acid solution stably by controlling temperature of (meth)acrylic acid-containing gas just before being supplied to the absorption tower, regardless of temperature fluctuation of gas discharged from the reactor for catalytic vapor phase oxidation.