Patent ID: 8124035

Claim:
An alkylation apparatus comprising: a. a distributor adapted to distribute portions of an aliphatic feedstock comprising paraffin and mono-olefin of 8 to 18 carbon atoms per molecule; b. a reactor assembly comprising at least three alkylation reaction zones in series each containing solid alkylation catalyst and each having an inlet region and in fluid flow opposition through the catalyst, an outlet region adapted to contain reaction zone effluent; i. the first alkylation reaction zone of which is adapted to receive at the inlet region aromatic compound and adapted to receive at the inlet region from the distributor a portion of the aliphatic feedstock; ii. the remaining alkylation reaction zones of which are adapted to receive at the inlet region reaction zone effluent from the preceding alkylation reaction zone in the series and adapted to receive at the inlet region a portion of the aliphatic feedstock from the distributor; c. a heat exchanger between each of the alkylation reaction zones adapted to cool the reaction zone effluent of the preceding alkylation reaction zone by at least about 5° C.; and d. a trim alkylation reaction zone containing solid alkylation catalyst and adapted to receive reaction zone effluent from the last of the remaining alkylation reaction zones.