The oil & gas industry is constantly innovating new methods of extracting, processing, and refining the raw materials necessary for the manufacturing of high-quality products. Hydrofluoric (HF) acid alkylation is a mission-critical refining process used to produce clean-burning, high-octane gasoline blending stock to help increase the fuel efficiency of car and truck engines.
While this refining process yields a higher-end final product, the challenge with HF acid alkylation is the required use of acids and other caustic fluids that can corrode and diminish the reliability of pumps compared to more traditional refining processes. What’s more, these materials can pose significant danger to the environment, and, as such, there are strict federal guidelines and regulations to prevent the release of these hazardous materials.
With a corrosion-resistant, leakproof design, sealless magnetic pumps are ideal for HF acid alkylation. Here, we’ll take a brief look at how the HF acid alkylation process works, and why sealless magnetic pumps are the ideal solution for this kind of refining application.
How does the hf acid alkylation process work?
HF acid alkylation combines olefins with isobutane to create alkylate, a high-octane additive that is responsible for the anti-knocking property of unleaded gasoline. The low vapor pressure of alkylate helps to offset the high vapor pressure and overall volatility of the ethanol used in the production of gasoline.
Alkylate is also key in downstream refining and production processes to help ensure high-quality gasoline that is safe and efficient, but also meets today’s rigid fuel emissions and cleanliness standards.
While HF acid alkylation is a more efficient and cost-effective method of producing higher-quality gasoline, the fluids used in manufacturing are highly acidic and corrosive, and they are a contact poison for personnel helping to execute HF acid alkylation. As a result, plant operators need reliable, heavy duty pump systems to optimize production and reduce the likelihood of acid runaway.
What’s more, HF acid alkylation requires a high degree of precision in dosing and the administering of fluids to create alkylate, and, for refineries working on a large scale, the process must be executed on a continuous basis.
Pump breaches or failures can result in leaks or spills that expose hazardous materials to the environment, and inefficient dosing processes will not produce alkylate capable of creating a high-quality gasoline blending stock in a safe, compliant manner.
What makes sealless magnetic drive pumps ideal for hf acid alkylation?
API 685-compliant magnetic drive pumps eliminate the potential for leaks, spills, or acid runaway via a sealless design. What’s more, secondary containment systems reduce the potential for caustic, acidic fluids to escape, and these containment systems also provide increased protection against corrosive materials damaging the internal components of your pump infrastructure.
Plus, the use of high-pressure castings and the additional heat treating of pump components after welding increases the strength and reliability of sealless magnetic drive pumps to contain corrosive materials even with prolonged, continuous use.
The lack of seals also makes this kind of magnetic drive pump well-equipped for frequent, high-intensity washdowns that use powerful cleaning agents, and the simplified design and engineering with minimal moving parts reduces maintenance intervals to help maximize production uptime.
Plus, the lack of buffer systems, water cooling systems, and venting or vapor recovery devices makes sealless magnetic drive pumps faster and easier to install, thus saving you time and money.
HMD/Kontro API 685-compliant sealless magnetic pumps offer an inherently safer and more reliable technology to execute HF acid alkylation in a wide range of refinery applications. HMD/Kontro API 685 sealless pumps also provide continuous digital monitoring tools to help ensure accurate, continuous pump operation via detailed performance data at every stage of the HF acid alkylation process.
IPEC has decades of experience in upstream, midstream, and downstream oil & gas production, and we’ve helped refineries at all production levels configure custom pump solutions to optimize efficiency, reduce costs, and increase productivity. As a trusted distributor of industry-leading pump solutions from manufacturers like Sundyne, we know what it takes to help oil & gas manufacturers operate on a 24/7, 365 basis.
Our team of maintenance technicians can also provide pump system audits, health checks, troubleshooting, and upgrades in the field of operation to help you avoid costly downtime or bottlenecks in production. Plus, our expanded warehouse offers a greater inventory of spare and component parts to help oil & gas manufacturers get the equipment they need to unlock game-changing productivity and quality.
Ready to partner with IPEC for your sealless magnetic drive pump solution? Contact us or browse our online store to find your ideal pump or accessory.
