Comparative Analysis of Sulfuric Acid Alkylation Technologies Based on a Reaction Kinetic Model
2025
Wenbin Zhang | Hongbo Jiang
As a core component of transportation fuels, clean gasoline plays a vital role in environmental protection. Alkylate, with its nearly zero sulfur, aromatic, and olefin contents, coupled with its superior research octane number, serves as an ideal blending component for clean gasoline. This study established a kinetic model for sulfuric-acid-catalyzed isobutane&ndash:butene alkylation based on the carbocation reaction mechanism, incorporating 20 lumped components and 37 reaction pathways. Reactor models were developed to reflect the design characteristics of STRATCO and SINOALKY technologies. The model parameters were estimated using industrial operational data via the non-linear least-squares method. The validation results demonstrated excellent agreement with industrial values, showing average relative deviation rates of 1.72% (STRATCO) and 1.73% (SINOALKY) for C8 product prediction. A prediction analysis revealed that selectivity and alkylate octane number of C8 exhibit positive correlations with the isobutane-to-olefin ratio, acid-to-hydrocarbon ratio, and space&ndash:time relationship. It was also found that the internal circulation in the STRATCO technology enables thorough contact between the acid and hydrocarbon phases, while the multi-stage feeding in the SINOALKY technology maintains a favorable isobutane-to-olefin ratio. Both features are conducive to the alkylation reaction, enhancing the selectivity and octane number of C8. These trends align with the intrinsic reaction principles of sulfuric-acid-catalyzed alkylation systems, providing theoretical guidance for alkylate production optimization.
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