MEI Maverick Engineering, a wholly owned subsidiary of Triple 5 Worldwide, can be of assistance with your Alkylation projects. MEI can provide the complete range of services, including front-end engineering design, detail engineering, procurement, construction management, start-up and operator training, to insure a successful brownfield or maintenance project. We also have the experience to work with various licensor technologies to make your Greenfield project a success. Our expertise yields shorter project schedules, industry superior cost control, and minimal client risk.
Alkylation units are a secondary refinery unit that it utilized to create high octane hydrocarbons to blend with motor and aviation gasolines. These high octane hydrocarbons are required to prevent auto ignition of gasoline, referred to as knocking, in an engine, as well as meet the established guidelines for engine octane ratings.
The alkylation process combines an unsaturated (contains double Carbon bonds) light hydrocarbon, usually propylene (propene) or butylene (butane) with isobutane. The resulting product is referred to as alkylate, and is usually a seven- or eight-branched carbon molecule. The alkylate is a high octane, low volatility hydrocarbon that can be added to aviation and motor gasoline to increase the octane rating of the blend without violating stringent volatility specifications.
Alkylation processes use either sulfuric or hydrofluoric acid as the catalyst to promote the alkylation reaction. Each catalyst has different operating temperatures and pressures, and the sulfuric acid is liquid at unit operating conditions, unlike hydrofluoric acid which is a gas at unit operating conditions.
Sulfuric acid alkylation
Alkylation Units: Projects
A partial listing of MEI Engineering experience with Alkylation Units is provided below:
- Replaced existing degassing drums in AF Alky Unit Degassing Drums - KOH Treaters.
- HF Alky Unit Relief Gas Scrubber, Propane Rundown System.