Acid hydrocarbon ratio control
Thread Content
In the Rums process, the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio is generally kept between 1 and 1.5. How can this ratio be adjusted? Is it achieved by increasing the circulation volume of the acid hydrocarbon mixture or by adding more acid? I believe that increasing the circulation volume does not raise the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio; it only increases the speed at which the acid circulates, without increasing its proportion. Is this the correct way to understand it?
The acid hydrocarbon ratio refers to the ratio of acid hydrocarbons in the acid in the lower loop; it is intended to ensure that, at a constant acid concentration, there is maximum contact between olefins and alkanes in the feed, thereby facilitating rapid reactions and reducing the occurrence of side reactions. In fact, it is determined basically during the acid supplementation and emulsification processes at the start of production. Many manufacturers no longer pay attention to this parameter; generally, after the acid-hydrocarbon emulsification is completed at the start of production, the acid-hydrocarbon ratio meter is turned off and waiting is done for separation to occur. The degree of emulsification is determined by observing the time it takes for separation to take place – usually, emulsification takes 1.5–2 hours, while the separation process takes around 15–30 minutes. After separation, the two components generally occupy equal amounts, resulting in a volume ratio of 1:1. If it is necessary to adjust the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio, increase the acid concentration, raise the acid interface level in the acid settling tank, and enhance the settling efficiency of that tank, then the volume ratio of hydrocarbons in the acid can be reduced, thereby changing the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio. But generally, no further adjustments are made once production returns to normal.
If I want to increase the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio, how should I do it?
Thank you, I saw the answer after opening it; thanks!
Look carefully at the definition of the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio: the ratio of the amount of acid circulated to the total hydrocarbon feed. It’s as simple as mixing dough – generally, the ratio of acid to hydrocarbon is 1.1:1; add more acid if there’s less of it, and reduce the amount of acid if there’s too much. In the LUMMUS process, the acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio can be controlled by the circulating acid pump and the circulating hydrocarbon pump. In the DuPont process, it is controlled by adjusting the opening degree of the acid reduction valve