AM-93-44 QUANTIFIABLE PERFORMANCE BENEFITS OF ALKAT-XL@

Description:

ALKAT-XL is a unique hydrocarbon based catalyst designed to increase the activity of sulfuric acid and promote the transfer of hydrogen from the tertiary carbon of isobutane. The benefits of the ALKAT-XL program have been proven on commercial alkylation units. Quantifiable increases in alkylate yield, reductions in acid consumption and increases in alkylate octane number have provided returns on investment for the program of 200 % to 500 %. Sophisticated monitoring techniques compensate for simultaneous changes in feedstock and operating conditions which can cause dramatic swings in unit performance. Historical alkylation unit operating data is used to establish proprietary process models and material balance based efficiency ratios. Statistical process control techniques are then applied to determine the unit’s process capability (control charts). During ALKAT-XL injection, the unit’s petformance is compared to the historical control charts to quantify and determine the statistical significance of performance improvements. Two case histories are presented in this paper.