Alky Lene Process

Fuels For The 21st Century
Fuel Sulfur Solutions Hydrogen Solutions MTBE Solutions Benzene Solutions
Making Premium Alkylate

with Your MTBE Unit
MTBE Solutions
As the future of MTBE remains uncertain, both producers
Meeting Growing Alkylate and users of MTBE are taking a closer look at alkylate.
Demand with Alkylene Alkylate is becoming recognized as the leading contender for
Technology MTBE replacement. From the gasoline producers point of
view, it has the ideal characteristics: It has high octane but no
aromatics, sulfur, or olefins, low vapor pressure and a wide
boiling range. From the MTBE producers point of view, it
has the significant advantage of requiring only a revamp of
an existing MTBE unit.
UOP offers four alkylation routes, three direct and one indi-
rect route to alkylate.
1. The Alkylene process for direct alkylation using a

solid catalyst to avoid the potential issues of a liquid
acid.
2. "Indirect alkylation," a new technology available as
UOP's InAlk process, produces alkylate via a differ-
ent chemistry.
3. Direct alkylation using hydrofluoric acid.
4. UOP also offers the Exxon Sulfuric Acid process for
direct alkylation.
REFINING
Print This Tech Sheet
ALKYLENE PROCESS TM
INTRODUCTION sites that selectively react the olefin feedstock with

Alkylate has ideal gasoline properties, such as high isobutane to produce the desired high-octane product.
research and motor octane numbers and low Reid vapor This highly active catalyst must also exhibit sufficient
pressure (RVP), and it does not contain aromatics, stability so that an economical process can be designed,
olefins, or sulfur. With the reformulated gasoline (RFG) built, and operated. UOP has developed such a solid
required in North America and increasingly stringent catalyst, the HAL-100TM Alkylene catalyst, that has the
gasoline regulations around the world, motor fuel alky- performance characteristics necessary to make this
lation is the key process that allows refiners to produce process economically competetive with liquid acid
the gasoline products needed for these demanding and processes. The alkylene catalyst is spherical to facilitate
dynamic markets. circulation in the reactor section and exhibits excellent
stability and physical strength.
The Alkylene process uses a solid catalyst to alkylate
isobutane with light olefins (C3 to C5 range). The per- CHEMISTRY AND PRODUCT PROPERTIES
formance characteristics of this catalyst and the novel
The conditions that favor the desired conversion of C4
process design have yielded a technology that is com-
olefins to trimethylpentane (TMP) are low process tem-
petitive with traditional liquid acid alkylation processes.
perature, high isobutane-to-olefin (I/O) ratios, and short
The Alkylene process meets todays demand for both
contact time between reactants and catalyst. The
improved gasoline formulations and a more environ-
Alkylene process reactor system has been designed to
mentally friendly light olefin upgrading technology.
promote the quick, intimate contact necessary for the
The Alkylene process offers many benefits over the desired primary reactions. Efficient separation of the
liquid acid alkylation processes. Some of these are: alkylate product from the catalyst avoids undesirable
secondary reactions.
J Solid catalyst, similar to other refining catalysts,
that reduces handling risks. Temperature and the I/O ratio are important parameters
J No catalyst or sludge disposal problems. because they affect capital investment and operating
costs. The Alkylene process operates in the range where
J Carbon steel construction.
these parameters ensure that the process is competitive.
J Single reactor design that minimizes plot area The temperature range is 10-40 C (50-100 F) and the
required. I/O ratio is 6 to 15 (similar to HF alkylation).
J No equipment corrosion problems.
J No emulsion concerns. PROCESS DESCRIPTION
The Alkylene process flow is similar to existing alkyla-
CATALYST tion technologies. The olefin feedstock is first treated to
Alkylating isobutane with light olefins using a solid remove impurities such as diolefins and oxygenates.
acid catalyst in a practical, economical process has been The olefin feed and isobutane (recycled from the frac-
beyond the grasp of scientists and refiners until tionation section) are combined and injected into the
recently. Alkylation catalysts require a high degree of reactor vessel riser (Figure 1). Reactivated catalyst is
activity to achieve the desired olefin conversion. Thus, mixed with the feed at the bottom of the riser. The reac-
the solid catalyst must deliver a large number of active tants and catalyst together flow up the riser, where the
alkylation reaction occurs. Upon exiting the riser, the
catalyst separates easily from the hydrocarbon effluent by CAPACITY AND PRODUCT QUALITY
gravity and flows downward into the reactivation zone. ESTIMATES
The hydrocarbon effluent flows to the fractionation sec-
Olefin feed, BPSD (T/d): 6,000 (600)
tion, where the alkylate product is separated from the light
Feed composition,
paraffins and LPG product. There is no acid soluble oil
wt% C3/C4/C5 olefins: 0.12/42.34/9.48
(ASO) or heavy polymer to dispose of as there is with
Product, BPSD (T/d): 6,300 (736)
liquid acid technology.
Alkylate RON: 94.4
The catalyst flows slowly as a packed bed down the Alkylate MON: 92.2
annulus section around the riser. Isobutane saturated with Operating cost, US$/gal ($/T): 0.53 (202)
hydrogen is injected into this section to reactivate the
catalyst. The reactivated catalyst then flows back into the INVESTMENT COSTS
bottom of the riser through standpipes. All the equipment in this process is fabricated from car-
bon steel. The estimated investment cost for an Alkylene
Although the reactivation in this section is nearly complete,
process unit processing 6,000 BPSD (600 T/d) of C4 - C5
some strongly adsorbed materials remain on the surface. To
feed and producing 6,300 BPSD (736 T/d) of alkylate is
remove these materials, a portion of the spent catalyst is
as follows.
sent to the reactivation vessel where the temperature is
elevated to achieve complete reactivation. The reactivated Inside battery limits, estimated erected cost (50%):
catalyst then flows back to the bottom of the riser. US$ 26.4 MM.
Basis: U.S. Gulf Coast installation, 2nd quarter, 1998
Figure 1
Simplified Alkylene Reactor Section
Light Ends
Alkylene
Reactor
Fractionation LPG
i-C4/H2
Reactivation Section
Wash Zone Hot
Reactivation Alkylate
Olefin Feed Vessel
i-C4/H2
Feed Reactivation
Pretreatment Wash Zone
Isobutane
Recycle
FOR MORE INFORMATION
For more information, contact your UOP representative
or UOP at:
Phone: 847-391-2000
Fax: 847-391-2253
uop TM
1999 UOP LLC. All rights reserved

This information is not to be taken as a warranty or representation for which UOP
UOP L L C
assumes legal responsibility nor as permission or recommendation to practice any 25 East Algonquin Road
patented invention without a license. It is offered solely for your consideration. Des Plaines, IL 60017-5017
UOP 2699D-27 499R0V

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Fuels For The 21st Century

Fuel Sulfur Solutions Hydrogen Solutions MTBE Solutions Benzene Solutions

Making Premium Alkylate

1. The Alkylene process for direct alkylation using a

Print This Tech Sheet

INTRODUCTION sites that selectively react the olefin feedstock with

1999 UOP LLC. All rights reserved

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