Mobil Oil Corporation

Paul W Snyder

Saverio G Greco

Fouad A Aly

Ronald D McGihon

Zay K Risinger

Robert B Callen

An HF alkylation unit with improved safety features including an acid storage and evacuation receiver which maintains a large proportion of the acid inventory of the unit at a remote, safe location. The unit also has an acid evacuation system which is capable of transferring the acid from the reactor section of the unit to the receiver within a very short period of time in the event of an uncontrolled release from the unit. The acid receiving drum is connected to the remainder of the unit by means of acid transfer lines for rapidly evacuating the acid and is desirably maintained at a pressure lower than the reactor section of the unit to enable the acid to be pressured into the receiver. The pressure in the receiver is suitably maintained by a pressure balancing line to the fractionation system at a lower pressure than the alkylation reaction itself. Unit acid inventory may be reduced by the use of an acid settler provided with an acid boot and coalescing baffles which promote a phase separation.

HF alkylation unit with acid evacuation system

The present invention comprises a fixed bed reactor, a method of loading catalyst into the reactor to minimize plugging and to improve the uniformity of fluid flow across the reactor, and a hydrotreating process employing the novel reactor. The system utilizes removable partition forms and/or permanent interbed baskets to create gradual transition zones between catalyst layers and to significantly increase the open area available for flow at the interface of such zones.

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Washington Crossing, PA, United States of America

Paul W Snyder