ALKYLATION UNIT START UP

START UP PROCEDURE FOR ALKYLATION UNIT WITH

HTLN
STEPS

1. Flushing, drying, leak test, purging for oxygen-freeing. Ensure pre-

commissioning check list is completed.
2. HTLN from tankage to settler accumulator, DIB and DB, via Alkylate
rundown line.
3. Transfer HTLN from settler to Refrigerant receiver and Economizer via
start up line
4. HTLN transfer from refrigeration section Economizer /Refrigerant
receiver to Reactor and settler (first two compartments).
5. Pump out/Drain contaminated HTLN from reactor and settler to slop via
non acid blowdown drum using spent acid pump/s
6. Fresh Acid filling in Alkylation settler and reactor.
7. Start up Depropaniser column with Sat LPG from DTA Merox.
8. Start up and stabilize Deisobutaniser and Debutanizer columns with
Depropaniser bottoms and HTLN.
9. Iso-butane will slowly displace HTLN in the overhead system
10. Fill Alkylation reactor and settler with Isobutane.
11. Start Olefin feed to surge drum in DIOS unit.
12. Fill refrigeration section with Isobutane.
13. Fill refrigeration purge section with isobutane.
14. Start refrigeration system on total recycle.
15. Cool the reactor.
16. Olefin feed to the reactor.
17. Start refrigeration purge system.
18. Start second reactor in an acid staged pair.
 STEP 1 HTLN FROM TANKAGE TO UNIT.

1. Pump HTLN from tankage back to Alkylation unit via run down line.
2. Line up Battery limit Check Valve by pass and PCV-75 to Settler
Accumulator Section.
3. Fill settler primary and secondary compartment with HTLN
4. Fill up to 90% level and maintain reactor pressure at 0.2 Kg/Cm2.
5. Start Reactor Product pump and fill Feed/Effluent Ex., Caustic Wash,
Water wash up to DIB Column.
6. Transfer HTLN to Debutanizer Column via DIB level control valve.

SETTLER D D
I B
B

WASH

HTLN from
Tankage
 STEP 2.Transfer HTLN from settler to refrigeration section Receiver and
Economizer via start up line
1. Fill the Refrigerant Receiver with HTLN using spent acid pump via start
up line to receiver.
2. Transfer HTLN to Economizer via Receiver LCV.

RECIEVER

ECONOMISER

REACTOR
Settler
D
D
I
WASH B
B

CH FL CL

HTLN from
Tankage

STEP 3: Transfer HTLN from Receiver and Economizer to Reactor settler

 1. Transfer the HTLN to reactor through Economizer Liquid Pump.
2. Fill a portion of HTLN in the Reactor feed chiller and transfer the chiller
material to reactor through Chiller liquid Pump
3. Drain all HTLN from Economizer to close drain header (non acid
blowdown drum) until finally confirm nitrogen is visible.

RECIEVER

ECONOMISER

REACTOR
SETTLER

DB
WASH DIB

CH FL CL

HTLN from
Tankage

STEP 4. Pump out Contaminated HTLN to Slop.

1. Equalize the reactor compartments and settler compartments.

 2. Using spent acid Pump transfer the contaminated HTLN to Non Acid
Blow down Drum via Spent acid header upto Final acid settler inlet
isolation valve.
3. Transfer of HTLN from Final acid settler inlet to Non Acid Blow down
Drum is through permanent piping connection.

C
O
M

RECIVER

REACTOR
SETTLER

DB
WASH DIB

CH FL CL

HTLN from
Tankage

STEP 5. Fresh Acid Fill of Alkylation Settler and reactor

 1. Fresh acid filling to primary settler via fresh acid make up pump
through start up line.
2. Defer Acid inventory to final acid settler section.
3. Start Recycle acid pump and fill the recycle acid line.
4. Fresh acid fill to alkylation reactor via 8” pump out header line
5. Established 2.1 meter level in reactor

Make up acid

REACTOR D
SETTLER I DB

WASH

CH FL CL

HTLN from
Tankage

STEP 6.Start up of Depropaniser (Simultaneous with Step 7)

1. Fill Sat LPG Feed Surge Drum and establish recirculation.

 2. Inventory Depropaniser Bottom at 50% Design feed rate.
3. Vent nitrogen to flare via HCV on Accumulator.
4. Maintain Column Pressure at 7 Kg/cm2.
5. Isolate Nitrogen if over head temperature is above 60 Deg C.
6. Start Propane product pump as the level in accumulator appears.
7. Transfer Depropaniser Bottoms to DIB column.

REACTOR D
SETTLER I DB

WASH

Sat LPG FSD

D
P

STEP 8. Start up Deisobutaniser and debutanizer

1. Establish 50 % level in caustic and water wash drums.

2. Pressurize DIB to 5 kg/cm2 g and line up butane product to storage.
3. Divert Depropaniser Bottom to Deisobutaniser and isolate line to tankage.
 4. Increase Depropaniser Feed to design rate.
5. Maintain pressure in overhead accumulator using the HCV.
6. Stabilize the column in total reflux.
7. Start A05 cooling fans and line up S15 cooling water.
8. Inventory additional HTLN to Settler Accumulator.
9. Start Caustic and water circulation pump and set flow.
10. Line up water boot of DIB overhead accumulator and check pH greater
than 6.

STEP 9. Fill Alkylation Reactor and Alkylation Settler with Isobutane.

1. Ensure reactor pressure is at 3 Kg/cm2, Open XV in olefin/IC4 feed line

and fill the Reactor feed System with IC4.
2. Inject Isobutane into reactor equally to all compartments in turn.
3. Fill the Reactor LP and HP transfer compartment to 50% and observe
level increase in Settler Accumulator.
4. Now parallelly Refrigeration Circuit filling can be started Step 13.
5. Check and drain water from the Coalescer and low point drains.
6. Ensure the pumpout header, nitrogen, HC/Acid ratio sight glass valves
closed.
7. Depressurize the reactor at PSV by pass line to flare until frosting is
observed.
8. Equalize the differential pressure due to acid in the transfer leg by LP
stage depressurization.
9. Stop IC4 inventory to Reactor and start IC4 transfer to IC4 sphere.
10. Proceed to Step 12.

STEP 10. Start Olefin Feed to Surge Drum in the DIOS unit.

1. Line up Start up LPG line to OSBL storage.

2. Ensure XV in the Feed System Closed and cooling water lined to Product
trim cooler.
3. Open the HCV on the DIOS unit by pass line and send the UnSat LPG to
OSBL.
4. Line up DIOS reactor Product line to Olefin Feed Analyser and ensure
DIOS reactor Feed line to analyzer is isolated.

STEP 11.Fill Refrigeration Section and purge section with Isobutane.

1. 1 Fill receiver to 70 % level
2. Transfer isobutane from receiver to economizer by gravity and fill
economizer up to 70 %.
3. Pump isobutane to chiller up to chiller level reaches 50 %
4. Start chiller liquid pump.
5. Start depropaniser feed pump and fill refrigerant purge caustic wash
mixer, caustic wash settling and water wash settling drum.
6. Take caustic to refrigerant purge caustic wash settling drum to 50 %. DO
NOT circulate caustic to caustic accumulator
 7. Stop depropaniser feed pump

STEP12. Start Refrigeration system on total recycle.

1. Start refrigeration compressor on total recycle
2. Control compressor suction temperature about 10 0C
3. Transfer isobutane from DIB O/H to Refrigerant receiver.
4. Open vapor line from economizer to comp suction
5. Start Economizer liquid pump on recycle

STEP13. Cool the reactor.

1. Open PCV and PDCV on reactor vapor line VERY SLOWLY and open
compressor discharge to reactor LP and HP stages for maintaining
pressure.
2. Slowly open the PCV and PDCV to 25 -30 % and maintain reactor
pressure via compressor discharge to reactor line.
3. Cool down the reactor at 3 Deg C / hour rate. Reduce 0.25 Kg/cm2 / hr in
reactor.
4. Maintain 0.14 Kg/cm2 Delta pressure in between HP and LP Stages.
5. Establish Levels in Reactor
6. Start Recycle Isobutane flow via feed train to reactor feed rings.
7. Start all mixers when the reactor is filled with isobutane.
8. When cooling progresses start recycle acid flow.
9. Commission the feed chiller by adjusting the PCV on vapor line to
reactor.
10. Continue cooling reactor until the average reactor temperature is 12- 13
Deg C.
11. Maintain the first compartment temperature at least above the freezing
point of fresh acid.

STEP14 . Olefin feed to the reactor

1. Start olefin feed to the alkylation reactor via FCV about 25 % of design
capacity
2. Start reactor product eductor on the settler acid boot
3. As the level in the DB starts rising, line up DB column bottom to HTLN
tank.?
4. Divert DB Column bottom to alkylate storage after alkylate product
meets the specification.

STEP15. Start refrigerant purge system.

1. Start depropaniser feed pump on minimum flow.
2. Line up refrigerant purge caustic and water wash mixer.
3. When DIB over head contains 3% Propane Start refrigerant purge.
STEP 16. Start second reactor in an Acid staged pair.

Status
Alkylation unit in operation with at lest one reactor, one DIB and One
compressor
The lag reactor of an acid staged pair has been prepared at the same time
corresponding lead reactor
The lead reactor of pair is in full operation producing alkyalte product.