Abstract: A process is provided for the continuous production of ethyl acrylate from ethylene and acrylic acid in the presence of sulfuric acid. The process includes the removal of impurities from the reaction system by passing minor portions of sulfuric acid residue from the process through a wiped-film evaporator whose initial sections are heated to a specific temperature range and whose last or withdrawal sections are cooled to a specific temperature range. The treated sulfuric acid residue is withdrawn from the reaction system. This treatment prevents foaming of the sulfuric acid residue. If foaming of the sulfuric acid residue occurs, the foamed residue can back up into the reaction system requiring a shutdown of the entire process. The improvement of this process is the passing of the ethyl acrylate product residue from the finishing distillation tower into the wiped-film evaporator at the same time that the sulfuric acid residue is being treated.

Abstract: In high-temperature vapor-phase reaction systems in which there are employed molybdenum-containing catalysts, contamination and/or blockage of downstream processing equipment has been found to be a problem as a result of vaporization of molybdenum trioxide into the hot gases passing through the catalytic reactor. The present invention comprises a method for alleviating the problem, preferably by passing the reactor effluent vapor through a bed or array of cooled solids upon which molybdenum trioxide is deposited and so removed from the reactor effluent gases.