Methyl acrylate process: why is a vacuum tube needed in this process?
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Methyl acrylate does not polymerize below 10°C, but tends to polymerize above 10°C. Light, heat, peroxides, etc. can accelerate the polymerization process. Hydroquinone or 4-methoxyphenol is usually added as a polymerization inhibitor. In the process with an excess of acrylic acid, the system is under vacuum, so vacuum pumping is required. Dear experts, what is the purpose of evacuating air?
I am not familiar with the methacrylate production process. According to what you’ve described, methacrylate does not polymerize below 10°C, but tends to polymerize at temperatures above 10°C. The reason for applying vacuum is to lower the separation temperature and prevent polymerization.
It is to lower the boiling point of methanol.
I have worked on the methyl ester plant. The purpose of evacuating the vacuum is: 1. Methyl ester and acrylic acid tend to polymerize at high temperatures or during phase transitions. Polymers can clog pipes or make it difficult to clean equipment. Therefore, using vacuum operation can lower the operating temperature and reduce the risk of polymerization ； 2. Vacuum operation is used, which reduces the operating temperature; as a result, the consumption of utility resources (steam and cooling water) is also reduced, saving money:D
Vacuuming in the acrylic acid and acrylate (monoesters, polyesters) systems is primarily aimed at reducing the operating temperature. Although a polymerization inhibitor must be added to the purification system, the vapor phase at the top of the tower does not contain such an inhibitor; if operation is carried out at atmospheric pressure, the tendency for polymerization at the tower top **increases**
Could it be to prevent the oxidation of the acryl group?