Alkylation Technology
Consultant/Trainer: Rick Rhead
Participants
Learning Objectives
- 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