Optimization of the content of isobutane in the feed stream of the plant for sulfuric acid alkylation of isobutane with olefins

The raw materials for the industrial production of moto- and air-alkylates are isobutane and butane-butylene fractions containing in their composition a component, n-butane, which is inert for the reaction of sulfuric acid alkylation of isobutane with olefins. In accordance with the Specifications TU 0272-024-00151638-99, the content of n-butane in the isobutane fraction, depending on the grade of the fraction, is 0.7÷20% wt. Its presence reduces the useful reaction volume of the alkylation reactor, and when separating the components of the alkylation reaction mass, it is necessary to use a distillation column (debutanizer). The possibility of including an additional column in the technological scheme for removing n-butane from the composition of the fraction (respectively, isobutane concentration) before it is fed into the alkylation reactor is being considered. This is of particular importance for factions with a brand below "High Brand". The study is conducted using the Honeywell UniSim Design software system. The Peng-Robinson method was used to calculate the properties of process stream components. The theoretically optimal design of the apparatus was calculated: when using a distillation column with a pressure in the apparatus of about 400 kPa to reduce the content of n-propane in the distillate (obtained isobutane fraction) to 0.001 mol. the share will require 48 theoretical plates, the accepted reflux ratio R = 8.9, the temperatures in the condenser and reboiler are 26.88 and 47.27 °C, respectively. A computational experiment has shown that in order to achieve the practical absence of n-butane in the obtained isobutane fraction (concentration of about 0.1% wt.), it is possible to use a distillation column with the following technological modes: the number of plates is 60, the feed plate is 15, the efficiency of contact devices is 0.8; the pressure in the column is about 400 kPa, the temperature in the condenser and reboiler is Тk=28.91÷29.05 ℃ and Тр=46.72÷47.25 ℃, respectively, reflux ratio R=20.41. This fraction also does not contain pentanes.