ISOPARAFFIN-OLEFIN ALKYLATION

An isoparaffin-olefin alkylation process comprising (a) alkylating an isoparaffin-olefin feed stream (10) in the presence of an alkylation acid catalyst (12) containing HF and sulfolane in a riser reactor (20) where acid soluble oligomers (ASO) are formed; (b) separating the alkylator effluent (22) in a gravitational separator (30) to obtain a less dense stream (38) containing the alkylate and unreacted isoparaffin, and a more dense stream (32) containing HF, sulfolane and ASO; (c) recycling most of the more dense stream to the riser reactor (20) as recycled acid catalyst (36) along with make-up HF catalyst (14); (d) stripping the rest (34) of the more dense stream in a catalyst stripper (50) with a stripping isoparaffin fluid (57) to obtain an overhead stream (56) which flows to the product fractionator (90); (e) gravitationally separating the stripper bottom stream (54) in a separator (70) to obtain a less dense phase (76) enriched in ASO, a more dense stream (77) enriched in sulfolane and a bottoms stream (78) containing solids; (f) fractionating streams (38) and (56) in a product fractionator (90) to obtain an overhead stream (92) enriched in isoparaffin and HF, which condenses in overhead cooler (94) and separates into a hydrocarbon phase and an acid phase in the overhead accumulator (120); (g) recycling part (123) of the hydrocarbon phase in overhead accumulator as a reflux to the fractionator (90) and the rest (125) as isoparaffin recycle to the riser reactor (20); (h) recycling the acid phase (124) in the overhead accumulator as a catalyst to the riser reactor (20); and (i) obtaining the alkylate product (56) and an n-butane by-product (98) from the fractionator (90). Procédé d'alkylation d'isoparaffine-oléfine comprenant (2) l'alkylation d'un flux de charge d'isoparaffine-oléfine (10) en présence d'un catalyseur d'alkylation acide (12) contenant HF et sulfolane dans un réacteur à colonne montante (20) où sont constitués des oligomères solubles acides (ASO); (b) la séparation de l'effluent d'alkylation (22) dans un séparateur à gravité (30), afin d'obtenir un flux moins dense (38) contenant l'alkylat et l'isoparaffine n'ayant pas subi de réaction, ainsi qu'un flux plus dense (32) contenant HF, sulfolane et ASO; (c) le recyclage de la plupart du flux plus dense vers le réacteur à colonne montante (20) en tant que catalyseur acide recyclé (36) avec un catalyseur HF d'appoint (14); (d) l'extraction du reste (34) du flux plus dense dans un extracteur à