Alkylation Units for Sale

An Alkylation Unit is used in refineries to convert isobutane and low-molecular-weight alkenes into an alkylate (high quality gasoline component). The process occurs in the presence of a strong acting acid as a catalyst, typically sulfuric acid or hydrofluoric acid. Depending on the acid used as a catalyst, the unit takes the name of SAAU (Sulphuric Acid Alkylation Unit) or HFAU (Hydrofluoric Acid Alkylation Unit). Since crude oil generally contains only 10 to 40 percent of hydrocarbon constituents in the gasoline range, refineries use a fluid catalytic cracking unit (FCCU) process to convert high molecular weight hydrocarbons into smaller and more volatile compounds, which are then converted into liquid gasoline-size hydrocarbons. Alkylation processes transform low molecular-weight alkenes and iso-paraffin molecules into larger iso-paraffins with a high octane number. The product of the unit, the alkylate, is composed of a mixture of high-octane, branched-chain paraffinic hydrocarbons (mostly isoheptane and isooctane).