The patented CDAlky process is an advanced sulfuric acidcatalyzed alkylation process for the production of motor fuel alkylate.
The CDAlky low-temperature sulfuric acid alkylation technology reacts light olefin streams from refinery sources such as fluid catalytic cracking units or from steam-cracking units with isoparaffins to produce motor fuel alkylate. Central to the CDAlky process is a novel scalable contactor/reactor design. The CDAlky process is available for license to the petroleum refining and petrochemical industries.
The process flow diagram shows the basic configuration to process a mixed-C4 olefin feed and produce a high-octane motor fuel alkylate, without the need for a reactor effluent alkaline water wash. The CDAlky process yields a higher quality product while consuming significantly less acid than conventional sulfuric acid-based technologies. The flow scheme is also less complex than conventional designs, which reduces capital and operating costs.
Conventional sulfuric acid alkylation units use mechanical mixing in their contactors, which are characterized by their high acid consumption. In addition, they are unable to take full benefit of operating at very low temperature, which substantially improves alkylate quality and reduces acid consumption. This scalable, vertical reactor also reduces capital costs and plot space requirements. This process has also eliminated the need for reactor effluent alkaline water wash, thus reducing caustic waste. In addition, this dry fractionation section reduces the potential for downstream corrosion and thereby reducing overall maintenance costs.
Advantages. The benefits of the CDAlky process:
• Lower acid consumption
• Lower utilities
• Reduced operating cost
• Reduced environmental exposure
• Higher octane product
• Lower CAPEX—simpler flowsheet with fewer pieces of equipment
• Highly flexible operation range—maximum absolute product octane or maximum octane barrels
• Lower maintenance—no mechanical agitator or complex seals
• Less corrosion due to dry system
• No caustic waste stream.
Licensor: CDTECH.
