Method for handling high-viscosity substances
View Patent ↗There is provided a method for handling high-viscosity substances discharged from a production process of acrylic acid or esters thereof by gas-phase catalytic oxidation, which method is improved such that upon transporting the high-viscosity substances in a molten state to a storage tank through a pipeline, the retention or clogging of the high-viscosity substances in the pipeline can be effectively prevented without adding a solvent thereto, resulting in smooth transportation thereof through the pipeline. In the method for handling high-viscosity substances discharged from a production process of acrylic acid or esters thereof by gas-phase catalytic oxidation according to the present invention, when the high-viscosity substances are transported to a storage tank through a pipeline, contents of acrylic acid polymers and a polymerization inhibitor in the high-viscosity substances are controlled to not less than 40% by weight and not less than 4% by weight, respectively, and the high-viscosity substances are maintained at a temperature of not less than 110° C.
1. A method for handling high-viscosity substances discharged from a production process of acrylic acid or esters thereof by gas-phase catalytic oxidation, wherein upon transporting the high-viscosity substances to a storage tank, contents of acrylic acid polymers and a polymerization inhibitor in the high-viscosity substances are controlled to not less than 40% by weight and not less than 4% by weight, respectively, and the high-viscosity substances are maintained at a temperature of not less than 110° C.
2. A method according to claim 1 , comprising the following sequential steps (A1) and (B):
(A1) feeding a bottom liquid discharged from a distillation column to a decomposition reactor to decompose the bottom liquid such that contents of acrylic acid polymers and a polymerization inhibitor in the high-viscosity substances discharged from the decomposition reactor become to not less than 40% by weight and not less than 4% by weight, respectively; and
(B) transporting the high-viscosity substances discharged from the decomposition reactor to the storage tank through a pipeline while maintaining a temperature of the high-viscosity substances at not less than 110° C.
3. A method according to claim 1 , comprising the following sequential steps (A2) and (B):
(A2) purifying the acrylic acid or esters thereof by distillation such that contents of acrylic acid polymers and a polymerization inhibitor in the high-viscosity substances discharged as a bottom liquid from a distillation column become to not less than 40% by weight and not less than 4% by weight, respectively; and
(B) transporting the high-viscosity substances discharged from the distillation column to the storage tank through a pipeline while maintaining a temperature of the high-viscosity substances at not less than 110° C.