US 2003/0158457 A1 · Method and device for the production of alkylates

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for the production of alkylate(s) by sulfuric acid alkylation of at least one isoparaffin such as isobutane with at least one olefin, such as butylenes. The device includes a mixing chamber for preparing a mixture of the isoparaffin with recycled reaction products. It also includes an emulsion chamber for preparing a first hydrocarbons-in-sulfuric acid emulsion, where the mixture prepared in the mixing chamber is injected in multiple parallel jets into a sulfuric acid composition. The device further includes a pre-reaction chamber for preparing a second emulsion, where a given portion of the olefin is injected in jet streams into the first hydrocarbons-in-sulfuric acid emulsion coming from the emulsion chamber. Last of all, the device includes a reaction chamber of given height and cross-section where the second emulsion coming from the pre-reaction chamber is injected through nozzles and another portion of olefin is injected in jet streams all over the cross-section and height of the reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is devised so that the second emulsion is circulated in a closed circuit and it has an outlet through which a balanced amount of reaction mixture is continuously discharged. All of said mixing chamber, emulsion chamber, pre-reaction chamber and reaction chamber are coaxially arranged one above the other in vertical position and altogether form a reactor with the prechamber being located at the bottom of the reactor and the reaction chamber on top thereof. A method for the production of alkylates by means of the above device is also disclosed.

Claims34

Dependent claims

A method for the production of alkylate(s) by sulfuric acid alkylation of at least one isoparaffin with at least one olefin, comprising the steps of:

(a) preparing a mixture of said at least one isoparaffin with recycled reaction products by mixing said at least one isoparaffin previously cooled down to a temperature equal to or lower than +12° C. with recycled reaction products separated from sulfuric acid and cooled down to a temperature equal to or lower than +12° C.;
(b) preparing a first hydrocarbons-in-sulfuric acid emulsion by injecting the mixture obtained in step (a) in multiple parallel jets into a sulfuric acid composition;
(c) preparing a second emulsion by injecting a given portion of said at least one olefin in jet streams through nozzles into the first hydrocarbons-in-sulfuric acid emulsion obtained in step (b);
(d) injecting the second emulsion obtained in step (c) through nozzles into a reaction chamber of given height and cross-section, where said second emulsion is circulated in a closed circuit and a balanced amount of reaction mixture is continuously discharged;
(e) injecting another portion of said at least one olefin in jet streams through a system of injectors into the second emulsion circulating into the reaction chamber, all over the cross-section and height of said reaction chamber;
(f) processing the reaction mixture discharged from the reaction chamber through at least one hydrocyclone in order to separate said reaction mixture into an acid-containing phase and a hydrocarbon-containing phase and subjecting each of said phases to a pressure reduction and a gas separation;
(g) recycling to step (a) one part the hydrocarbon-containing phase that is in a liquid from after said gas separation, said recycled phase acting as said recycled reaction products, recovering the remaining part of said hydrocarbon-containing phase and subjecting said recovered part to deacidification, purification and separation to extract the requested alkylate(s);
and
(h) recycling to step (b) the acid-containing phase after said gas separation and a cooling, said recycled acid containing phase acting as said sulfuric acid composition, part of said acid-containing phase being withdrawn to regeneration prior to being recycled and being replaced by fresh acid.

6 more elements

A method for separating into phases a reaction mixture exiting from an unit of sulfuric acid alkylation of at least one isoparaffin by at least one olefin, said phases including a liquid hydrocarbon-containing phase and a liquid acid-containing phase, which comprises the steps of:

injecting said reaction mixture at a speed of 4 to 10 m/s into a hydrocylone in order to separate it into said liquid hydrocarbon-containing phase and said liquid acid-containing phase;
and
further processing said phases by subjecting each of said phase to a pressure reduction, injecting the phase having been subjected to said pressure reduction into a gas separator, recovering liquids from said gas separator by means of a pump for further utilization, and extracting vapors from said separator by means of a compressor.

A device for mixing and reacting at least two liquid components, comprising:

(a) a mixing chamber for preparing a mixture of two of said components;
(b) an emulsion chamber for preparing a first emulsion, where the mixture prepared in the mixing chamber (a) is injected in multiple parallel jets;
(c) a pre-reaction chamber for preparing a second emulsion, where a given portion of one of said components is injected in jet streams into the first emulsion coming from the emulsion chamber (b);
and
(d) a reaction chamber of given height and cross-section where the second emulsion coming from the pre-reaction chamber (c) is injected through nozzles and one of said components is injected in jet streams all over the cross-section and height of said reaction chamber, said reaction chamber being devised so that said second emulsion is circulated in a closed circuit and comprising an outlet through which a balanced amount of reaction mixture is continuously discharged;
wherein said mixing chamber (a), emulsion chamber (b), pre-reaction chamber (c) and reaction chamber (d) are coaxially arranged one above the other in vertical position and altogether form a reactor with said mixing chamber (a) being located at the bottom of the reactor and said reaction chamber (d) on top thereof.

3 more elements

A device for the production of alkylate(s) by sulfuric acid alkylation of at least one isoparaffin with at least one olefin, comprising:

(a) a mixing chamber for preparing a mixture of said at least one isoparaffin with recycled reaction products;
(b) an emulsion chamber for preparing a first hydrocarbons-in-sulfuric acid emulsion by mixing sulfuric acid with the mixture prepared in the mixing chamber (a);
(c) a pre-reaction chamber for preparing a second emulsion, where a given portion of said at least one olefin is injected in jet streams into the first hydrocarbons-in-sulfuric acid emulsion coming from the emulsion chamber (b);
and
(d) a reaction chamber of given height and cross-section where the second emulsion coming from the pre-reaction chamber (c) is injected through nozzles and another portion of the at least one olefin is injected in jet streams all over the cross-section and height of said reaction chamber;
wherein said mixing chamber (a), emulsion chamber (b), pre-reaction chamber (c) and reaction chamber (d) are coaxially arranged one above the other in vertical position and altogether form a reactor with said mixing chamber (a) being located at the bottom of the reactor and said reaction chamber (d) on top thereof.

3 more elements

A device for separating a reaction mixture recovered from a unit of sulfuric acid alkylation of isoparaffins by olefins, in order to obtain a liquid acid-containing phase, a hydrocarbon-containing phase and a vapor phase, wherein said device comprises a horizontal vessel incorporating:

(a) at least one vertical overflow baffle plate that extends within said vessel and divides it into one settling tank and at least one accumulation tank;
(b) supply connecting pipes for introducing the reaction mixture into the settling tank;
(c) outlet connecting pipes for discharging the acid-containing phase from a bottom portion of the settling tank;
(d) other outlet connecting pipe for discharging the liquid hydrocarbon phase in the form of two separate flows, one of said flows being directed back to the unit for use as recycled reaction products, the other one of said flows consisting of commercial grade reaction products and being subjected to rectification and fractionation in order to obtain commercial grade alkylates, wherein the other outlet connecting pipe through which the other one of said flows exits from the vessel are located in a bottom portion of said at least one accumulation tank;
and
(f) at least one further outlet connecting pipe for discharging the vapor phase from an upper part of the vessel.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and device for the production of alkylates

Life of this patent

Method and device for the production of alkylates

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims34