Removal of aluminum chloride from hydrocarbons

Claim 1

IN A PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF A DETERGENT GRADE ALKYLATE WHEREIN N-PARAFFINIC AND ISOPARAFFINIC HYDROCARBONS WHEREIN THE NUMBER OF CARBON ATOMS PER MOLECULE IS WITHIN THE RANGE OF FROM 10 TO 15 ARE CHLORINATED WITH CHLORINE IN A CHLORINATION ZONE UNDER CHLORINATION CONDITIONS TO PRODUCE A MIXTURE OF CHLORINATED AND NONCHLORINATED HYDROCARBONS, BENZENE IS ALKYLATED WITH SAID MIXTURE OF HYDROCARBONS IN AN ALKYLATION ZONE IN THE PRESENCE OF AN ALUMINUM CHLORIDE CATALYST AND A HYDROGEN CHLORIDE PROMOTER UNDER ALKYLATION CONDITIONS TO FORM AN ALKYLATE STREAM WHICH CONTAINS A SMALL BUT APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF SAID CATALYST AND SAID PROMOTER, THE IMPROVEMENT COMPRISING: MIXING SAID ALKYLATE STREAM WITH AN AQUEOUS ACID SOLUTION CONTAINING FROM 25 TO 50 WEIGHT PERCENT OF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE AND FROM 15 TO 25 WEIGHT PERCENT OF A MINERAL ACID SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PHOSPHORIC ACID, SULFURIC ACID, AND MIXTURES THEREOF; PASSING THE RESULTING MIXTURE OF ACID SOLUTION AND ALKYLATE TO A SETTLING ZONE WHEREIN PHASE SEPARATION INTO AN AQUEOUS PHASE AND AN ALKYLATE PHASE OCCURS; PASSING SAID ALKYLATE PHASE TO A CONTACTING ZONE; IN SAID CONTACTING ZONE, CONTACTING SAID ALKYLATE PHASE WITH A CONCENTRATED AQUEOUS SOLUTION OF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE CONTAINING FROM 25 TO 45 WEIGHT PERCENT OF HYDROGEN CHLORIDE; AND RECOVERING A TREATED ALKYLATE WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY FREE OF ALUMINUM CHLORIDE.