On November 15, 2018 the sulfuric acid alkylation (SINOALKY) technology, jointly developed by RIPP, SINOPEC’s Shijiazhuang Refining and Chemical Branch Company, and the Luoyang Engineering Co. Ltd., had passed the technical appraisal organized by the SINOPEC Science and Technology Division. The experts attending the appraisal meeting have recognized that the said technology, featuring low reaction temperature, low acid consumption and good products distribution, has entirely on a par with the internationally advanced level. The successful commercialization of SINOALKY technology has symbolized that China does possess the f irst sulfuric acid alkylation unit with fully independent intellectual property right after breaking through foreign technical barriers.

Upon using isobutene and butylene as the feedstocks, the SINOALKY technology adopts the “N” type multistage and cascade static mixing reactor for alkylation with olef ins introduced into many stages to increase the isoparaffin/olef in ratio inside the reactor and suppress side reactions. This technology integrates the self-vaporizing acid/alkane separator with the high-efficiency vaporizing internals to achieve the quick separation of vapor phase/acid phase/hydrocarbon phase from the effluent and removal of reaction heat. The SINOALKY technology by adopting special coalescence and separation materials can intensify the separation of acid from effluent hydrocarbons to avoid using the traditional alkali washing and water washing processes, resulting in the reduction of enormous wastewater f low and alkali consumption to realize a clean production process.

The alkylation product is a mixture of branched C8alkanes, which do not contain olef ins and aromatics and are nearly sulfur and nitrogen free. The said alkylate with low sensitivity and low vapor pressure can be used as a clean and ideal high-octane gasoline component. In recent years with the increasingly stringent environmental regulations, China has been speeding up its pace for upgrading gasoline quality. Starting January 1, 2019, Beijing, Guangzhou and other major cities will put into effect the national standard VI on gasoline quality ahead of schedule. In 2020 China will promote the application of gasohol while phasing out MTBE from the gasoline market. The enforcement of national standard VI on gasoline quality and application of gasohol will lead to abrupt demand for alkylation product. Hence, the major task facing SINOPEC is to produce clean gasoline that can meet the requirements of China’s environmental regulations. The successful commercial application of SINOALKY technology will lay a solid technical foundation for gasoline quality upgrading in the SINOPEC’s refineries to embark on a “Blue Water and Blue Sky” defense war.