[Haichuan Chemical Salary News] China’s first all-isobutylene feed alkylation unit passes performance evaluation

It is reported that the unit utilizes DuPont STRATCO? alkylation technology, and it achieved a successful start-up on April 29 of this year, operating smoothly. The commissioning of this facility marks Hengli Petrochemical’s successful development of China’s first isobutylene alkylation unit that was brought online successfully and passed performance tests, laying a solid foundation for the production of high-quality gasoline by Hengli Petrochemical. The inherent properties of isobutylene itself in the alkylation feedstock (its tendency to self-polymerize into high-molecular-weight polyolefins) **increase the difficulty of controlling the alkylation reaction. Hengli Petrochemical’s alkylation unit is capable of processing highly demanding feedstocks with 100% isobutylene as the olefin, to produce high-quality alkylated oils, thereby demonstrating the excellent performance of DuPont STRATCO? alkylation technology. This alkylation unit utilizes DuPont’s innovatively developed XP2 patented technology and a dry treatment process for reaction effluents, which significantly improves the operational performance of the unit and the quality of the products, ensures safe and stable operation over extended periods, and reduces environmental emissions to the greatest extent possible. DuPont STRATCO? alkylation technology is the sulfuric acid-based alkylation method that holds a very high market share worldwide, and it exhibits great adaptability to various raw materials. Previously, DuPont had accumulated extensive practical operational experience with similar alkylation units in markets outside of China.

Using a new generation of reactors, it is possible to process alkylation feedstocks with varying isobutylene contents (0% to 100% of the olefins). For typical catalytic cracking liquefied gas C4 feedstocks (with isobutylene accounting for 20%~40% of the olefins), DuPont’s alkylation technology can be used for direct processing; no need to adjust the weight or boiling point of the alkylated oil products in order to meet the requirements of National VI gasoline standards. This reduces investment costs and **lowers the operating expenses of the plant. The plant director of Hengli Petrochemical said, “The operation of the newly built alkylation unit fully meets the design requirements.” DuPont STRATCO? alkylation technology is mature, featuring high operational flexibility of the equipment and simple startup procedures. It also has a high degree of adaptability to various raw materials. The alkylation products produced have a high octane rating and contain no aromatics or olefins, thereby enabling us to produce compliant National VI gasoline. Leveraging DuPont STRATCO? alkylation technology, the entire gasoline pool at our refinery will benefit from it. Article source: China Chemical Industry Information Weekly

STRATCO® alkylation technology was first developed in the late 1930s, and with over 80 years of experience, it helps refineries produce gasoline safely that features a high octane rating, low RVP, low sulfur content, and no olefins, resulting in cleaner combustion.

The problem with alkylated isobutylene is solved – is there really no future for MTBE?

MTBE does not meet environmental standards; its production has been banned in North America. In China, its use is also set to be prohibited by 2020. In the future, MTBE will likely be used primarily for the production of high-purity isobutylene

At the beginning of production, tetrahydrofuran was used as the feedstock, not 100% isobutylene; isobutylene was only used later on. This process is not suitable for DuPont but rather for the Lumas process, due to issues related to reaction temperature

Does anyone have any information on this technology? I’m very curious about how 100% isobutylene alkylation is achieved; I wonder if it’s a process that combines isobutane dehydrogenation with alkylation