Catalytic alkylation process

Claim 1

AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR CARRYING OUT AN ALKYLATION REACTION IN A CIRCULATORY SYSTEM WHEREIN HYDROCARBON IS IN THE CONTINUOUS PHASE IN THE REACTION ZONE AND THE FLOW OF LIQUID HYDROFLUORIC ACID ALKYLATION CATALYST THROUGH SAID SYSTEM IS OBTAINED BY ENERGY IMPARTED THERETO BY FLOWING HYDROCARBONS AND DENSITY DIFFERENTIAL IN SAID SYSTEM, WHICH COMPRISES INTRODUCING A MAJOR PROPORTION OF A LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURE CONTAINING ALKYLATABLE HYDROCARBON AND ALKYLATING AGENT AT A HIGH VELOCITY AT A FIRST MEASURED RATE INTO A LOWER PORTION OF AN UPWARDLY EXTENDING REACTION ZONE ALONG WITH A DESIRED MINOR PROPORTION OF SAID CATALYST AT A SECOND MEASURED RATE, MAINTAINING ALKYLATION CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND RESIDENCE TIME IN SAID ALKYLATION REACTION ZONE, REMOVING ALKYLATION REACTION EFFLUENT FROM AN UPPER PORTION OF SAID REACTION ZONE AND PASSING SAME TO A SETTLING ZONE TO OBTAIN A CATALYST PHASE AND A HYDROCARBON PHASE FLOWING SAID CATALYST PHASE AT A RATE CONTROLLED IN RESPONSE TO SAID FIRST AND SECOND MEASURED RATES AND EFFECTIVE TO MAINTAIN THE DESIRED RATIO OF HYDROCARBON TO CATALYST IN SAID REACTION ZONE THROUGH A COOLING ZONE WHICH IS INSUFFICIENT OF ITSELF TO MAINTAIN THE DESIRED REACTION TEMPERATURE AND THEN INTO THE LOWER PORTION OF SAID REACTION ZONE, MEASURING THE TEMPERATUE OF THE MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS AND CATALYST INTRODUCED INTO SAID REACTION ZONE AND PRODUCING A SIGNAL PROPORTIONAL TO SAID MEASURING, AND COOLING A PORTION OF SAID HYDROCARBON PHASE IN RESPONSE TO SAID SIGNAL AND RECYCLING SAME TO SAID REACTION ZONE IN A QUANTITY SUFFICIENT TO MAINTAIN A DESIRED REACTION TEMPERATURE.