Alkylation apparatus

Claim 1

APPARATUS FOR ALKYLATING ISOPARAFFINS WITH OLEFINS COMPRISING IN COMBINATION: AN ELONGATED TUBULAR REACTION CHAMBER FREE OF INDIRECT HEAT EXCHANGE MEANS HAVING AN INLET FOR ACID IN ITS UPSTREAM END; A SETTLER CONNECTED WITH THE DOWNSTREAM END OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER, SAID SETTLER HAVING AN OUTLET ALKYLATE IN AN UPPER SECTION THEREOF AND AN OUTLET FOR ACID IN A LOWER SECTION THEREOF; A HEAT EXCHANGER CONNECTED TO THE UPSTREAM END OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER AND TO THE ACID OUTLET OF SAID SETTLER, SAID REACTION CHAMBER, SETTLER AND HEAT EXCHANGER FORMING A CLOSED, CONTINUOUS CIRCUIT FOR FLOW; AND A FEED INLET DISTRIBUTOR MEANS FOR INTRODUCING REACTANT HYDROCARBONS INTO THE UPSTREAM END OF SAID REACTION CHAMBER SUBSTANTIALLY DOWNSTREAM FROM THE POINT OF INTRODUCTION OF CATALYST INTO REACTOR, SAID DISTRIBUTOR COMPRISING A CONDUIT CONNECTED TO A SOURCE OF HYDROCARBON, A LEADER HAVING ENLARGED OUTLET END CONNECTED TO SAID CONDUIT, AND A PLURALITY OF ORIFICE OPENINGS SPACED APART IN THE DIRECTION OF FLOW IN SAID REACTION CHAMBER SO THAT REACTANT FEED IS INTRODUCED INTO THE REACTION ZONE AT A PLURALITY OF SPACED POINTS ALONG THE LENGTH OF THE REACTOR TO PROVIDE A CONSISTENTLY OPTIMUM REACTANT RATIO THROUGHOUT THE LENGTH OF SAID REACTOR.