AM-97-47 MOTOR FUEL ALKYLATION ADVANCES BEYOND LIQUID ACID CATALYSIS

Description:

The all#ation of isobutane with light olefins to produce a high-octane gasoline component has been an important refinery process since the 1940s. This process upgrades low-value light olefins into valuable gasoline, thereby expanding the gasoline volume and improving the quality of the gasoline pool. The product of this process, commonly known as *late, has ideal gasoline properties, such as high research and motor octane numbers, low Reid vapor pressure (RVP), and no aromatics, olefins, or sulfur. With the reformulated gasoline (RFG) required in North America and increasingly stringent gasoline regulations around the world, motor fuel allcylation is the key process that allows refiners to produce gasoline products that satisfy these demanding regulations. Refiners have had a choice of two processes to effect the upgrading of light oleflns to alkylate. These processes each use a liquid acid catalyst, either hydrofluoric (HP) acid or sulfuric acid, both of which have some undesirable characteristics. Since their commercialization over 50 years ago, these processes have proven to be robust, economical technologies that have suppressed the development of alternative processes based on solid catalysts. However, the rising demand for environmental improvements in both refining processes and the quality of refined products has created a unique opportunity for the application of new heterogeneous technology to economically produce motor fbel alkylate and reduce the potential hazards associated with this important refinery process. UOP has developed a motor fuel alkylation process based on a solid catalyst that is ready for use in a commercial refinery. The performance characteristics of this solid catalyst and the unique process design yield a technology that is competitive with traditional liquid acid alkylation processes. Also, unlike the liquid-acid-catalyzed technologies, UOP sees significant opportunities to advance the catalytic activity and selectivity as well as optimize the processing efficiency of this exciting new technology. Discussions with refiners are underway to commercialize this new process, called Alkylene*, which will meet the demand for both improved gasoline formulations and a more environmentally friendly light olefin upgrading technology.