Raman Scattering Sensor for Control of the Acid Alkylation Process in Gasoline Production

Uibel, Rory, H. ; Smith, Lee M. ; Benner, Robert, E.

Process Instruments Inc, 825 N 300 W Suite 225, Salt Lake cCity, UT 84106

关键词: Sulfuric Acid Raman Scattering Analysis, Alkylation Acid Control, Gasoline Production;    02 Petroleum;    Forecasting;    Economics;    Monitoring;   

DOI  :  10.2172/881280
RP-ID  :  DOE/ER/84333-1
RP-ID  :  FG02-05ER84333
RP-ID  :  881280

美国|英语

来源: UNT Digital Library

【 摘 要 】

Gasoline refineries utilize a process called acid alkylation to increase the octane rating of blended gasoline, and this is the single most expensive process in the refinery. For process efficiency and safety reasons, the sulfuric acid can only be used while it is in the concentration range of 98 to 86 %. The conventional technique to monitor the acid concentration is time consuming and is typically conducted only a few times per day. This results in running higher acid concentrations than they would like to ensure that the process proceeds uninterrupted. Maintaining an excessively high acid concentration costs the refineries millions of dollars each year. Using SBIR funding, Process Instruments Inc. has developed an inline sensor for real time monitoring of acid concentrations in gasoline refinery alkylation units. Real time data was then collected over time from the instrument and its responses were matched up with the laboratory analysis. A model was then developed to correlate the laboratory acid values to the Raman signal that is transmitted back to the instrument from the process stream. The instrument was then used to demonstrate that it could create real-time predictions of the acid concentrations. The results from this test showed that the instrument could accurately predict the acid concentrations to within ~0.15% acid strength, and this level of prediction proved to be similar or better then the laboratory analysis. By utilizing a sensor for process monitoring the most economic acid concentrations can be maintained. A single smaller refinery (50,000 barrels/day) estimates that they should save over $120,000/year, with larger refineries saving considerably more.