AM-15-18 Advances in Alkylation – Breaking the Low Reaction Temperature Barrier

Description:

The CB&I CDAlky® gasoline alkylation technology is an advanced low temperature sulfuric acid alkylation process for the production of motor fuel alkylate. CDAlky reacts light olefin streams from typical refinery sources such as fluid catalytic cracking units or from steam cracking units together with isoparaffins to produce motor fuel alkylate. Central to the CDAlky process is a novel reactor system design that significantly improves mass transfer relative to conventional contactors. This new reaction system operates at significantly lower temperatures than conventional alkylation processes, thus minimizing undesired side-reactions. CDAlky is therefore able to produce a higher quality alkylate product while consuming significantly less acid than conventional technologies. With no rotating mixers or caustic/water post-treatment steps, the CDAlky flow scheme is less complex than conventional designs, thereby reducing initial capital cost and improving operational reliability. The CDAlky process has been successfully proven in commercial service since 2013. Three units are now in commercial operation, with one additional unit in basic engineering design stage and another in detailed engineering.