Abstract: A process for the dimerization of isoolefins, including: contacting an isoolefin with a solid catalyst composition passivated with at least one of an ether, an alcohol, and water; wherein the solid catalyst composition comprises at least one of a solid phosphoric acid catalyst and a resin of a macroporous matrix of polyvinyl aromatic compound crosslinked with a divinyl compound and having thereon from about 3 to 5 milli equivalents of sulfonic acid groups per gram of dry resin; and wherein at least 50% to less than 100% of acid groups in the solid catalyst composition are neutralized with a metal of Al, Fe, Zn, Cu, Ni, or mixtures thereof. The catalyst may be metalized prior to placement in a reactor or may be metalized in situ.

Abstract: A process for the regeneration of spent sulfuric acid including contacting spent sulfuric acid containing acid soluble oils (ASO) with sulfur dioxide to extract at least a portion of the ASO from the spent sulfuric acid into the sulfur dioxide. The sulfuric acid phase having a reduced ASO content and a sulfur dioxide phase containing at least a portion of the ASO may be recovered. The resulting sulfuric acid and sulfur dioxide phases may be further separated to recover ASO, sulfur dioxide, and sulfuric acid.

Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.

Abstract: A process for treating an alkylation feedstock comprising olefins, n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, and impurities including one or more of butadiene, oxygenates, nitrogen-containing compounds, and sulfur-containing compounds, the process including: contacting an alkylation feedstock containing at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds with water to produce a hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced concentration of the at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds and an aqueous fraction comprising at least a portion of the at least one of oxygenates and nitrogen-containing compounds; separating water from the hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced concentration to produce a hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced water content; contacting the hydrocarbon fraction having a reduced water content with an oligomerization catalyst in a first oligomerization reaction zone under oligomerization conditions to react at least a portion of the olefins to form a reactor effluent comprising olefin oli

Abstract: A process for alkylation of propylene, the process including: contacting a stream comprising propylene and propane with sulfuric acid in a first reaction zone under conditions to form propylene sulfate esters; contacting the propylene sulfate esters with isoparaffin and sulfuric acid in an alkylation reaction zone under conditions to react the propylene sulfate esters and the isoparaffin to form a reactor effluent comprising an acid phase and a hydrocarbon phase comprising unreacted isoparaffin and alkylate product; separating the hydrocarbon phase from the sulfuric acid; separating the hydrocarbon phase to form a fraction comprising unreacted isoparaffin and a fraction comprising the alkylate product.

Abstract: A selected boiling range fluid catalytically cracked naphtha stream is subjected to simultaneous splitting, thioetherification of a light boiling range naphtha and selective hydrogenation of the dienes in a medium boiling range naphtha.

Abstract: A process for producing an alkylate having a low Reid vapor pressure, the process including: contacting a C6+-containing hydrocarbon stream with a mixture of isopentane and isobutane in the presence of an acid catalyst in an alkylation reactor to form a dilute alkylate product, wherein the C6+-containing hydrocarbon stream includes at least one of oligomers of C3 to C5 olefins and a dilute alkylate produced by contacting an isoparaffin with at least one of C3 to C5 olefins and oligomers of C3 to C5 olefins; fractionating the dilute alkylate product to form an isobutane-rich fraction, a n-butane-rich fraction, a fraction containing isopentane, and an alkylate product having a Reid vapor pressure less than 0.35 bar (5 psi); recycling at least a portion of the fraction containing isopentane to the alkylation reactor.

Abstract: A process for paraffin alkylation of isoalkane with isoolefins in which an olefin component comprising oligomerized propylene, oligomerized isoolefin or mixtures thereof is fed to a paraffin alkylation unit wherein the dissociated olefin components forming the oligomers react with isoalkane to produce a reaction mixture containing an alkylate and unreacted isoalkane The reaction mixture is fractionally distilled to recover unreacted isoalkane as overheads and alkylate as bottoms. The stoichiometry of isoolefins to isoalkane in the alkylation unit is maintained by adjustment of the feed to the oligomerization, for example, by adding fresh isoalkane to the recovered, unreacted isoalkane from the alkylation unit being recycled to the oligomerization. Alternatively, a portion of the recovered unreacted isoalkane is dehydrogenation to an isoolefin which is added to the oligomerization.

Abstract: A process for reducing the sulfur content of a gasoline fraction comprising one or more organic sulfur compounds including mercaptans, thiophenes, and mono- and di-sulfides, the process including: contacting a gasoline fraction having an initial organic sulfur content with a sulfuric acid-rich composition to extract organic sulfur compounds from the gasoline fraction and produce a gasoline fraction having reduced sulfur content and a sulfuric acid fraction having increased organic sulfur content; and separating the gasoline fraction having reduced organic sulfur content and the sulfuric acid-rich fraction having increased organic sulfur content.

Abstract: A process for treating an alkylation feedstock comprising olefins, n-alkanes, and iso-alkanes, the process including: contacting at least a portion of the alkylation feedstock with sulfuric acid in a reaction zone under conditions to form sulfate esters of the olefins; separating the n-alkanes and the iso-alkanes from the sulfuric acid and the sulfate esters; recovering the n-alkanes and the iso-alkanes in a first product stream; and recovering the sulfate esters in a second product stream; wherein the sulfuric acid has a strength titrating as below 75 weight percent H2SO4/water mixtures.

Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.

Abstract: A process for the alkylation of isobutane is disclosed wherein isobutane is fed to two separate alkylation systems. The effluent from the first alkylation system is fed to an interim debutanizer where the C4's are separated from the alkylate product. The overhead C4 product is then fed to the second alkylation system to provide the isobutane. The effluent from the second alkylation system is fed to a traditional deisobutanizer to prevent any build up of normal butanes in the system.

Abstract: A method of operating a multi-phase downflow reactor so as to induce a pulsing flow regime is disclosed. The pulse may be induced by increasing the gas rate while maintaining the liquid rate until a pressure drop sufficient to induce the pulse flow is achieved. The method is particularly useful in the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of olefins in a reactor packed with a stainless steel/polypropylene mesh.

Abstract: A method of operating a multi-phase downflow reactor so as to induce a pulsing flow regime is disclosed. The pulse may be induced by increasing the gas rate while maintaining the liquid rate until a pressure drop sufficient to induce the pulse flow is achieved. The method is particularly useful in the sulfuric acid catalyzed alkylation of olefins in a reactor packed with a stainless steel/polypropylene mesh.