Alkylation Technology

Consultant/Trainer: Rick Rhead

The Petrogenium. Alkylation Technology course will guide the participants to develop key concepts on overview of design and operating parameters of Alkylation technology. This training provides an understanding of Alkylation process, different technologies and operating and safety concerns.

Participants

This Petrogenium. course aims at improving competencies of process engineers, operators, inspection and corrosion engineers in terms of understanding the process and operational issues faced by complex refineries. It is also possible to benefit from an exclusive technical services arrangement from Petrogenium after the training. Participants can be from diverse spectrum of both young and experienced engineers. The training can also be structured to address specific issues faced by a particular refinery / operating unit.

Learning Objectives

Understanding of Alkylation Technology:
  • Types of Alkylation technology processes
  • Feedstock Preparation
  • Operating Parameters
  • Process Safety
  • Performance monitoring
  • Best Practices
Day 1 Morning
Introduction
  • Alkylation Technology
HF Alkylation
  • Block Flow Diagram
  • Pretreatment Section
HF Alkylation Reactor Section
  • Typical operating conditions: iso-olefin mole, HF/HC volume ratio, and temperature
  • HF Acid suppliers/manufacturers
  • Pumped acid
  • Gravity flow
  • Alkylation Reactor
  • “Internal” acid regeneration
  • Nuclear instrumentation for level measurement

Fractionation
Product Treatment
  • Alumina/KOH
  • Alkylate water wash
Waste treatment/Neutralization Section Safety
  • Materials of construction
  • Construction inspection QA/QC
  • Safety clothing
  • Emergency showers/booths
  • Water mitigation system
  • Pumped acid system—reduced acid inventory
  • Additive for HF acid vapor suppression

Day 1 Afternoon
Introduction
Sulfuric Acid Alkylation
  • Block Flow Diagram
  • Pretreatment Section
Sulfuric Acid Alkylation Reactor Section
  • Typical operating conditions: iso-olefin and Acid/HC ratios and temperature
  • External acid regeneration—purge & fresh make up (trailers of spent/fresh acid—daily)
  • Sulfuric acid suppliers (typically will also handle the spent and fresh acid)
Fractionation
Product Treatment
Better Technology
  • HF Alkylation is slightly better: RON, Yield, Utilities
  • Sulfuric Acid is safer and HF Alkylation has “NIMBY” concerns
  • Politics beat Technology
Other Alkylation Technologies
  • Solid Bed Alkylation
  • Ionic Liquid Alkylation
Ionic Alkylation (IsoAlky)
  • Commercialized technology (Chevron-Salt Lake City, USA)
Other Alkylation Technologies
  • Solid Bed Alkylation
  • Ionic Liquid Alkylation
Ionic Alkylation (IsoAlky)
  • Commercialized technology (Chevron-Salt Lake City, USA)
  • Liquid ionic catalyst (Aluminum-Chloride)
  • Similar to HF Alkylation—Block Diagram
IsoAlky pretreatment section
  • Similar to HF Alkylation
IsoAlky reactor section
  • Reactor
  • Effluent Separator
IsoAlky Regeneration section
IsoAlky Fractionation
IsoAlky Product treating
IsoAlky Operating Conditions
  • Wide range of operating temperatures
  • Less likely for “acid” runaway
  • Lower utility costs
  • No special materials of construction
  • Better suited for alkylation of Amylenes
Safety
  • Off loading spent acid/loading fresh acid, and acid sampling
IsoAlky comparison to Sulfuric Acid and HF Acid
Summary

Programme

Day 1 Morning
Introduction
  • Alkylation Technology
HF Alkylation
  • Block Flow Diagram
  • Pretreatment Section
HF Alkylation Reactor Section
  • Typical operating conditions: iso-olefin mole, HF/HC volume ratio, and temperature
  • HF Acid suppliers/manufacturers
  • Pumped acid
  • Gravity flow
  • Alkylation Reactor
  • “Internal” acid regeneration
  • Nuclear instrumentation for level measurement

Fractionation
Product Treatment
  • Alumina/KOH
  • Alkylate water wash
Waste treatment/Neutralization Section Safety
  • Materials of construction
  • Construction inspection QA/QC
  • Safety clothing
  • Emergency showers/booths
  • Water mitigation system
  • Pumped acid system—reduced acid inventory
  • Additive for HF acid vapor suppression

Day 1 Afternoon
Introduction
Sulfuric Acid Alkylation
  • Block Flow Diagram
  • Pretreatment Section
Sulfuric Acid Alkylation Reactor Section
  • Typical operating conditions: iso-olefin and Acid/HC ratios and temperature
  • External acid regeneration—purge & fresh make up (trailers of spent/fresh acid—daily)
  • Sulfuric acid suppliers (typically will also handle the spent and fresh acid)
Fractionation
Product Treatment
Better Technology
  • HF Alkylation is slightly better: RON, Yield, Utilities
  • Sulfuric Acid is safer and HF Alkylation has “NIMBY” concerns
  • Politics beat Technology
Other Alkylation Technologies
  • Solid Bed Alkylation
  • Ionic Liquid Alkylation
Ionic Alkylation (IsoAlky)
  • Commercialized technology (Chevron-Salt Lake City, USA)
Other Alkylation Technologies
  • Solid Bed Alkylation
  • Ionic Liquid Alkylation
Ionic Alkylation (IsoAlky)
  • Commercialized technology (Chevron-Salt Lake City, USA)
  • Liquid ionic catalyst (Aluminum-Chloride)
  • Similar to HF Alkylation—Block Diagram
IsoAlky pretreatment section
  • Similar to HF Alkylation
IsoAlky reactor section
  • Reactor
  • Effluent Separator
IsoAlky Regeneration section
IsoAlky Fractionation
IsoAlky Product treating
IsoAlky Operating Conditions
  • Wide range of operating temperatures
  • Less likely for “acid” runaway
  • Lower utility costs
  • No special materials of construction
  • Better suited for alkylation of Amylenes
Safety
  • Off loading spent acid/loading fresh acid, and acid sampling
IsoAlky comparison to Sulfuric Acid and HF Acid
Summary