Abstract: This invention is related to a shell-and-tube type reactor provided with reaction tubes packed with a catalyst and adapted to circulate a heat medium to the fluid outside the tubes and is characterized by a method introducing a gas into the catalyst beds so as to retain the relative humidity of the catalyst in the range of more than 40% while elevating the temperature of the reactor thereby starting up the reactor. This method prevents the catalyst from degradation of activity due to absorption of moisture, exalts the service life of the catalyst, and permits stable production of methacrylic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a process for producing acrolein and acrylic acid by the vapor-phase oxidation of propylene in the presence of Mo—Bi—Fe-based compound oxide catalysts packed in a fixed-bed multitubular reactor wherein acrolein and acrylic acid can be stably produced in high yield for a long period of time. This process is characterized in that each reaction tube having two or more reaction zones disposed along the axis of the tube is packed with catalysts having different ratios of the Bi and/or Fe content to the Mo content in such a way that the ratio decreases from the gas inlet side toward the gas outlet side.

Abstract: This invention is related to a shell-and-tube type reactor provided with reaction tubes packed with a catalyst and adapted to circulate a heat medium to the fluid outside the tubes and is characterized by a method introducing a gas into the catalyst beds so as to retain the relative humidity of the catalyst in the range of more than 40% while elevating the temperature of the reactor thereby starting up the reactor. This method prevents the catalyst from degradation of activity due to absorption of moisture, exalts the service life of the catalyst, and permits stable production of methacrylic acid.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing acrylic acid stably at a high yield over a long period of time by subjecting acrolein or acrolein-containing gas to catalytic vapor phase oxidation. The above process is characterized by controlling the reaction so that the following equations (1) and (2) are satisfied: 1° C.≦T0−T1≦15° C.  (1) T1<T2  (2) wherein T0 represents a temperature of acrolein or the acrolein-containing gas in an inlet of a catalyst layer; T1 represents a temperature in an inlet part of the catalyst layer; and T2 represents a temperature in an outlet part of the catalyst layer.

Abstract: A process for removal of solid organic matters formed and deposited in the reaction system when an unsaturated aldehyde or an unsaturated aidehyde-containing gas is subjected to catalytic gaseous oxidation in the presence of an oxidizing catalyst to prepare an unsaturated carboxylic acid corresponding thereto, which process comprises contacting the solid organic matters with a mixed gas containing at least 3 volume % of molecular oxygen and at least 0.1 volume % of steam at a temperature of 260.degree. to 450.degree. C.

Abstract: A process for producing an unsaturated aldehyde or an unsaturated acid comprises catalytically oxidizing propylene or at least one compound selected from isobutylene, tert.-butyl alcohol and methyl-tert.-butyl ether in a gaseous phase with molecular oxygen or a molecular oxygen-containing gas using a fixed bed multipipe reactor, wherein(a) a plurality of composite oxides, different in occupied volume, are used as catalyst,(b) a plurality of reaction zones are provided along an axial direction in each reaction pipe of the fixed bed multipipe reactor, and(c) the plurality of the catalysts different in occupied volume are filled in the plurality of the reaction zones such that the occupied volumes become lower from the starting gas inlet side to the outlet side.

Abstract: A method for the production of acrylic acid by the vapor-phase oxidation of acrolein with a molecular oxygen-containing gas in the presence of a catalyst formed of an oxide or a composite oxide of a metal element composition represented by the following formula I:Mo.sub.a V.sub.b W.sub.c Cu.sub.d X.sub.e Y.sub.f (I)wherein X is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Zr, Ti and Ce, Y is at least one element selected from the group consisting of Mg, Ca, Sr and Ba, and the subscripts a, b, c, d, e, and f are such that b=1 to 14, 0<c.ltoreq.12, 0<d.ltoreq.6, 0<e.ltoreq.10, and f=0 to 3 where a is fixed at 12, 2.0<Cu+X.ltoreq.10.0 and 0.25.ltoreq.Cu/X.ltoreq.6.0.