Honeywell, the manufacturer of the hydrofluoric acid used at PBF Torrance
Refinery,
have announced a replacement is available for HF. Chevron has developed
the
technology and will make the switch from HF. No mention in the press
release
of PBF Energy or ExxonMobil on making the switch. And the flaring
continues in Torrance
this morning.
John Bailey, President
Southeast Torrance Homeowners’ Association, Inc. (SETHA)
Honeywell UOP Introduces Ionic Liquids Alkylation Technology: UOP News Release
o
First
successful liquid alkylation technology in 75 years to produce high-octane fuel
blending component for cleaner-burning fuels
o
Chevron
to convert existing hydrofluoric acid alkylation unit to ionic
liquids
DES PLAINES, Ill.,
Sept. 22, 2016 - Honeywell (NYSE:
HON) UOP announced today that it has introduced to
the refining industry a new alkylation technology developed by Chevron U.S.A.
Inc., a subsidiary of Chevron Corp.(NYSE:
CVX), that employs ionic liquids as a catalyst to produce
high-octane motor fuels.
Chevron licensed the
technology to Honeywell UOP, which will offer the technology under
the ISOALKY™ brand
name as an alternative to traditional technologies that use hydrofluoric or
sulfuric acids as a liquid alkylation catalyst.
“Ionic liquids
alkylation offers a compelling economic solution compared to conventional liquid
acid technologies while delivering the same
yields and high levels of octane,” said Mike Millard, vice
president and general manager of Honeywell UOP’s Process Technology and
Equipment business. “This is a revolutionary new technology for refiners to
produce alkylate and improve thequality
of their gasoline pool.”
The ISOALKY
technology is the first successful liquid alkylation technology to be introduced
in 75 years. Chevron proved the technology in a small demonstration unit at its
Salt Lake City refinery, where it has operated successfully for five
years.
Earlier this week,
Chevron committed to convert its hydrofluoric acid (HF) alkylation unit in Salt
Lake City to ISOALKY technology. Construction is expected to commence in 2017,
pending permit approvals, with the ISOALKY technology becoming fully operational
in 2020. As part of this project, the refinery’s HF-specific equipment and its
inventory of hydrofluoric acid will be permanently
removed.
This new technology
uses a non-aqueous liquid salt, or ionic liquid, at temperatures below 100ºC to
convert a typical stream from a fluid catalytic cracker into a valuable
high-octane blending
component that lowers the environmental impact of
motor gasoline.
Among the other
benefits of this technology, the ionic liquids process can be used in new
refineries, as well as existing facilities undergoing capital expansion. It can
produce alkylate from a wider range of feedstocks using alower
volume of catalyst. This liquid catalyst has a negligible vapor
pressure and can be regenerated on-site, giving it a lower environmental
footprint than other technologies.
Alkylation
technologies are commonly used in the refining industry to produce high-octane
gasoline blending components to make clean-burning fuels. Currently, the
majority of alkylation processes use hydrofluoric or sulfuric acid processes
that were developed by or in concert with UOP, and introduced between 1938 and
1942. Today, more than half of the world’s approximately 700 refineries
currently have alkylation units that use hydrofluoric or sulfuric
acid.
Ionic liquids have
strong acid properties, enabling them to perform acid
catalysis, but without the volatility of conventional acids. They
represent the first new class of liquid alkylation technology since World War
II. They are technically a salt in liquid state, comprised largely of ions that
convert C4 paraffins and other olefins into an excellent gasoline-range blending
product. Due to its low vapor pressure, ionic liquid requires simpler handling
procedures than either sulfuric or hydrofluoric acids.
ISOALKY is a
cost-effective solution for many refining companies that have expressed growing
interest in the technology as an alternative to conventional liquid acid systems
or recent solid catalyst systems to produce high-quality alkylate
for clean-burning
fuels.
Comments