Patent ID: 7435864

Claim:
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 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said recycled acid containing phase acting as said sulfuric acid composition, part of said acid-containing phase being withdrawn to regeneration prior to being recycled and being replaced by fresh acid.