Chevron has developed a new alkylation technology that employs ionic liquids as a catalyst to produce high-octane motor fuels. According to Honeywell, which has licensed the technology, it is a less-expensive alternative to traditional technologies that use hydrofluoric or sulfuric acids as a liquid alkylation catalyst.

Chevron proved the technology in a small demonstration unit that it has operated for five years at its Salt Lake City refinery. The company says it will now convert its hydrofluoric acid alkylation unit at the refinery to the new ISOALKY process, with construction expected to commence in 2017 and the new unit to become fully operational in 2020.

The ISOALKY technology was tested for five years in a small demonstration unit at Chevron's Salt Lake City refinery. Image credit: Honeywell/UOP.“Ionic liquids alkylation offers a compelling economic solution compared to conventional liquid acid technologies while delivering the same yields and high levels of octane,” says Mike Millard, vice president and general manager of Honeywell UOP’s Process Technology and Equipment business.

Alkylation technologies are commonly used in the refining industry to produce high-octane gasoline blending components to make clean-burning fuels. Currently, more than half of the world’s approximately 700 refineries have alkylation units that use hydrofluoric or sulfuric acid.

The new process uses a non-aqueous liquid salt, or ionic liquid, at temperatures below 100 degrees Celsius 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, according to Honeywell, are that 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 a lower volume of catalyst; the liquid catalyst has a negligible vapor pressure and can be regenerated onsite, giving it a lower environmental footprint than other technologies.