Thermal separation process for the separation of at least one (meth)acrylic monomer enriched material stream comprises use of a device having separate volume elements and defined residence time

摘要

A thermal separation process for the separation of at least one (meth)acrylic monomer enriched material stream from a (meth)acrylic monomer containing mixture comprises use of a device having separate volume elements in which the liquid temperature does not differ by more than 2 degreesC and the total residence time is no greater than 20 hours. A thermal separation process for the separation of at least one (meth)acrylic monomer enriched material stream from a (meth)acrylic monomer containing mixture, comprising the continuous stationary operation of at least one thermal separation device comprising at least one separating chamber optionally containing inserts to which at least one (meth)acrylic monomer containing stream is removed whereby the material stream that is fed to the separator chamber contains x wt.% of components that are different to (meth)acrylic monomers; the material stream having the highest content by weight of (meth)acrylic monomers that is removed from the separator chamber contains y wt.% of components that are different to (meth)acrylic monomers whereby the ratio x:y is at least 5; the separator chamber, excluding inlets and outlets is bordered by a solid phase, comprises at least one recirculating heat exchanger and has a liquid phase filled total volume of at least 1 m3 whereby the temperature of the liquid phase is at least 80 degreesC; and is characterized by subdivision of the separating cavity into n individual volume elements whereby the highest and lowest temperature in the liquid phase within the separate volume elements does not differ by more than 2 degreesC; the total residence time is as defined by equation (1) and is no greater than 20 hours. tges = integral(i=1 to n) msi/mi x 2A (1) To = 100 degreesC; Ti = the arithmetic mean value of the highest and lowest temperature in i volume elements; msi = the total mass of (meth)acrylic monomers in i volume elements containing liquid phase; mi = the total liquid phase mass flow from i volume element. The total amount of liquid phase contained within dead-volume elements is not greater than 5 wt.% of the total liquid phase within the separator chamber.