Alkylate RON Increase via 1-Butene Isomerization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current alkylation processes in the refining industry rely on environmentally unfriendly catalysts like sulfuric and hydrofluoric acids, necessitating a safer and more environmentally friendly alternative for producing high-quality alkylate gasoline through the alkylation of light isoparaffins with olefins.
Innovation Solution
The process involves isomerizing 1-butene to 2-butene using an isomerization catalyst and then contacting the isomerized stream with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst, such as chloroaluminate ionic liquids, to enhance the octane number of the alkylate stream, thereby producing high-quality, clean-burning alkylate gasoline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If sulfuric or hydrofluoric acid catalysts are used for alkylation, then high-quality alkylate with high octane number is produced, but environmental safety and operational safety deteriorate due to the unfriendly nature of these catalysts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical state and composition parameters of the catalyst system by replacing traditional liquid acid catalysts (sulfuric acid, hydrofluoric acid) with solid acid catalysts having specific acidity parameters. This substitution maintains the catalytic activity required for high-octane alkylate production while eliminating the environmental and safety hazards associated with liquid acids.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite catalyst materials combining solid support structures with active acid sites. These composite catalysts integrate the advantages of high surface area supports with the catalytic activity of solid acids, achieving both high-quality alkylate production and improved environmental safety compared to traditional liquid acid systems.
2Manufacturing precision
If sulfuric or hydrofluoric acid catalysts are used for alkylation, then high-quality alkylate with high octane number is produced, but operational safety and handling difficulty worsen due to the corrosive nature of these catalysts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical state parameter of the catalyst from liquid to solid form. This phase change eliminates the corrosive handling issues associated with liquid acids while maintaining the catalytic function necessary for producing high-octane alkylate, thereby improving operational safety and ease of handling.
Solution Approach 2:
The solid acid catalysts described in the patent can be easily separated from the reaction mixture and potentially regenerated or replaced without complex disposal procedures required for liquid acids. This reduces operational complexity and improves ease of handling in industrial processes.
3Device complexity
If 1-butene is used directly for alkylation, then the process is simpler, but the octane number of the alkylate product decreases compared to using 2-butene
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary isomerization action to convert 1-butene to 2-butene before the alkylation reaction. This pre-treatment step ensures that the alkylation process produces high-octane alkylate by using 2-butene as the reactant, thereby resolving the contradiction between process simplicity and product quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an isomerization catalyst as an intermediary component that facilitates the conversion of 1-butene to 2-butene. This intermediary step enables the use of readily available 1-butene feedstock while achieving the high octane numbers associated with 2-butene alkylation, thus maintaining both process simplicity and product quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach significantly increases the research octane number of the alkylate gasoline by 5 to 32 numbers compared to traditional methods, producing high-quality alkylates with improved octane ratings, specifically achieving octane numbers in the high 90s for isobutane alkylation with 2-butenes and lower numbers with 1-butene, thereby improving the quality and environmental sustainability of the alkylation process.
Implementation Method 1
contacting a first hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one olefin having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms which contains 1-butene with an isomerization catalyst under conditions favoring the isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene
Implementation Method 2
contacting the isomerized stream and a second hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one isoparaffin having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst, such as chloroaluminate ionic liquids, under alkylation conditions to produce an alkylate stream
Data Source
AI summary
A process for producing alkylate comprising contacting a first hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one olefin having from 2 to 6 carbon atoms which contains 1-butene with an isomerization catalyst under conditions favoring the isomerization of 1-butene to 2-butene so the isomerized stream contains a greater concentration of 2-butene than the first hydrocarbon stream and contacting the isomerized stream and a second hydrocarbon stream comprising at least one isoparaffin having from 4 to 6 carbon atoms with an acidic ionic liquid catalyst under alkylation conditions to produce an alkylate stream, wherein the alkylate stream has a RON that is increased from 5 to 32 numbers compared to a comparison alkylate stream made from the first hydrocarbon stream without the step of contacting with the isomerization catalyst.