Reactor and process for propane oxidation

摘要

The amount of propionic acid produced in the process of oxidizing propane to acrylic acid is reduced by using a reactor with a length/diameter ratio >10 and/or maintaining the difference between the target reaction temperature and the peak temperature within the reactor to less than 20° C.

主权项

1. A process for the direct oxidation of propane to acrylic acid, the process comprising the step of contacting under oxidation conditions propane and oxygen with a propane oxidation catalyst, the oxidation catalyst packed in a tubular reactor such that the effective L/D ratio of the reactor is from 20 to 40 and the oxidation conditions comprising a reactor set point temperature and a peak temperature with a ΔT between the set point and peak temperatures of less than 20° C. wherein the reactor set point temperature is the target temperature for the oxidation of propane to acrylic acid.