PROCESS FOR PRODUCING (METH)ACRYLIC ACID AND (METH)ACRYLIC ESTER

摘要

A process for producing (meth)acrylic acid and a (meth)acrylic ester in which a long-term continuous stable operation is possible. The process for producing (meth)acrylic acid and a (meth)acrylic ester comprises: a step (A) in which propane, propylene, or isobutylene and/or (meth)acrolein is catalytically oxidized with either molecular oxygen or a gas containing molecular oxygen in a vapor phase to obtain crude (meth)acrylic acid; a step (B) in which the crude (meth)acrylic acid is purified to obtain a product of (meth)acrylic acid; and a step (C) in which the crude (meth)acrylic acid is reacted with an alcohol to produce a (meth)acrylic ester, the step (B) and step (C) being arranged in parallel. When the plant of either the step (B) or step (C) stops, the surplus crude (meth)acrylic acid yielded is temporarily stored in a tank. After the stopped plant is restored, the crude (meth)acrylic acid stored in the tank is supplied to the plant of the step (B) and/or step (C). The plant to be used in the step (A) has been designed so that the production capacity thereof is lower than the total consumption capacity of the plant to be used in the step (B) and that in the step (C).