Process for producing (meth)acrylic acid

A process for recovering (meth)acrylic acid without using azeotropic solvent, starting from a gaseous reaction mixture comprising (meth)acrylic acid obtained by gas-phase oxidation of a precursor of the (meth)acrylic acid, comprising at least the following steps:

• i) subjecting the gaseous reaction mixture to dehydration without using azeotropic solvent in a dehydration column, resulting in a dehydration column overhead stream, at least a portion of which is condensed and sent back to the dehydration column in the form of reflux, and in a dehydration column bottom stream;
• ii) subjecting the dehydration column bottom stream, at least in part, to a distillation at a pressure below atmospheric pressure in a finishing column, resulting in a finishing column overhead stream and in a finishing column bottom stream containing heavy compounds;
• iii) recovering a (meth)acrylic acid stream by drawing off as a sidestream from the finishing column, and/or as bottoms from the finishing column;
• subjecting the finishing column overhead gaseous stream, at least in part, to a dry vacuum pump condensation system such that the finishing column operates under vacuum, thereby eliminating or reducing generation of aqueous discharge and forming a condensate comprising light compounds that is recycled back to the dehydration column, and a final gaseous effluent.