Patent EA-003897-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and device for the production of alkylates
Inventor: GERSHUNI SEMEN
IPC: B01J19/08
Filed: 2001-06-01
Abstract: 1. A method for the production of alkylate (s) by sulfuric acidalkylation 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said recycled acid containing phase acting as said sulfuric acid composition, part of said acid-containing phase being withdrawn to regeneration prior to being recycled and being replaced by fresh acid. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein: -steps (a), (b), (c) and (d) are run in vertical flows; -steps (b) and (h) are controlled in such a manner that the amount of sulfuric acid circulating through the reaction chamber and having been processed in step (f) ranges between 40 to 80 m<3>/t of commercial grade alkylate (s); -steps (b) and (d) are controlled in such a manner that in step (b), the first emulsion flows at a speed of 1.5 to 3.5 m/s and in step (d), the second emulsion flows in the reaction chamber at a speed of 2 to 4 m/s; and -steps (c) and (d) are controlled in such a manner that the at least one olefin is injected with a pressure drop higher than 1kg/cm<2>. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein a further portion of said at least one olefin is injected into the reaction mixture at an outlet of the reaction chamber. 4. The method of claim 1 to 3, wherein said at least one isoparaffin comprises isobutane and said at least one olefin comprises propylene, butylenes, amylenes or mixtures thereof. 5. 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. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein the phases having been subjected to said pressure reduction, are injected into separate gas separators. 7. The method of claim 5, wherein: -the phases having been subjected to said pressure reduction, are injected into a same gas separator comprising a vessel divided by an overflow baffle plate into a settling tank and an accumulating tank, said baffle plate having an upper end; -reaction products to be recovered are withdrawn from said accumulating tank and subjected to rectification in order to obtain a commercial grade alkylate; -acid is withdrawn from a bottom part of the settling tank for recycling and regeneration; and -other reaction products to be recycled are withdrawn from the settling tank at a level that is lower than the upper end of the overflow baffle plate. 8. The method of claim 5, wherein: -the hydrocarbon-containing phase exiting from the hydrocyclone is injected into another hydrocyclone where it is separated into an upper lightweight flow and a lower heavy weight flow; -the upper lightweight flow is subjected to pressure reduction and gas separation and then to rectification and fractionation in order to obtain a commercial grade alkylate; and -the lower heavy weight flow is subjected to pressure reduction and gas separation and then recycled to the unit. 9. The method of claim 5, wherein: -the acid-containing phase existing from the hydrocyclone is injected into another hydrocyclone wherein it is separated into an upper lightweight flow and a lower heavy weight flow; -the upper lightweight flow that is enriched by acid is returned to the unit as a first portion of acid to be recycled; and -the lower heavy weight flow is separated into a first part that is returned to the unit as a second portion of acid to be recycled, and a second part that is discharged as waste acid for further regeneration. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein: -the lower heavy weight flow separated within the other hydrocyclone is injected into a further hydrocyclone where it is separated into another upper lightweight flow and another lower lightweight flow; -the other lower heavy weight flow obtained in said further hydrocyclone is used as said second portion of acid to be recycled; and -the other upper lightweight flow obtained in said further hydrocyclone is discharged as further waste acid for further regeneration. 11. The method of any one of claims 5 to 10, comprising the additional step of carrying out a gas separation downstream of the hydrocyclone. 12. 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. 13. 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. 14. The device of claim 12 or 13, wherein the emulsion chamber (b) includes: -a plurality of parallel inlet branch pipes having a given internal diameter, through which the mixture prepared in the mixing chamber (a) is injected; -a cylindrical socket centrally mounted within said emulsion chamber, said socket having a height equal to 20 to 60 times to internal diameter of the parallel inlet branch pipes, said socket also having an upper outlet; and -an enlargement fitting joined to the upper outlet of said cylindrical socket. 15. The device of any one of claims 12 to 14, wherein the pre-reaction chamber (c) has a bottom portion provided with a feed injection unit comprising injectors having axes running upward at an angle of 0 to30 with respect to the vertical. 16. The device of any one o