Ionic liquid waste handling system

A process for treating an acidic ionic liquid containing waste stream from an ionic liquid alkylation process, wherein the waste stream comprises a liquid waste stream containing the acidic ionic liquid the process comprising:

• introducing the liquid waste stream into a liquid treatment zone;
• neutralizing the acidic ionic liquid in the liquid waste stream, wherein neutralizing the acidic ionic liquid comprises at least one of reacting the acidic ionic liquid with a basic compound, or contacting the acidic ionic liquid with an ion exchange resin to bind the ionic liquid;
• determining a concentration of the ionic liquid in the liquid waste stream;
• determining an allowed concentration of the ionic liquid in the liquid waste stream for release into a waste handling system;
• reducing the concentration of the ionic liquid in the neutralized liquid waste stream to the allowed concentration by removing at least a portion of the ionic liquid or diluting the neutralized waste stream, wherein the at least the portion of the ionic liquid is removed using at least one of gravity, reverse osmosis, flocculation, chelation, electrostatic precipitation, a guard bed, and a scrubber;
• and
• releasing the liquid waste stream having the allowed concentration into a waste handling system.