additional alkylation capacity is being installed a t a greater rate t h a n crude stilling capacity. T h e high octane isoparaffin product from alkylation is a very desirable component in p r e m i u m gasoline today. Most alkylation to date has been the C4 alkylation employing butylènes and isobutane. A substantial q u a n tity of pentylenes has been alkylated and some propylene alkylation is currently being carried out. I n t h e future, additional propylene a n d probably also ethylene alkylation will be employed to produce the high octane alkylate required for p r e m i u m gasolines. T h e alkylation process is in direct competition with petrochemicals, as it requires large q u a n tities of olefins in the C3 through C 5 boiling range a n d large quantities of isobutane. T h e r e has been a n d will b e insufficient isobutane for alkylating all t h e olefins desired, a n d undoubtedly isomerization of η-bu tanes to isobutane will b e practiced more extensively. Polymerization is employed in re fining to produce high octane blend ing gasoline from propylenes a n d butylènes, and additional capacity is being installed. This process is employed primarily as a balancing operation for these olefins when they are not required in other operations. A substantial shrinkage in volume is experienced o n polymerization, but— most important to the petrochemical industry—because it provides a convenient process for making high octane blending gasolines, it sets a m i n i m u m value for these olefins. T o compete for these materials, t h e petrochemical industry must offer a greater value than their use as charge to polymerization. Developments in the fields of polypropylene, polybutylene, a n d polybutadiene m a y do just this. Isomerization is employed in r e fining of η-butanes, pentanes, a n d hexanes. Butane isomerization has been used extensively in the prepara tion of isobutane for alkylation feed. This should increase in t h e future. I n addition, t h e n o r m a l C 6 a n d normal Ce fractions will require isomerization to improve octane. Recently, numerous processes for the isomerization of n-pentane a n d nhexane have been announced, b u t commercialization is just beginning. This operation is going to increase
SAFE
A N D
ECONOMICAL
ÏWPM
ELECTROLYTIC for the
PLANT
PRODUCTION OF HYDROGEN
99.95% PURE
Illustration shows plant recently installed in Spain and consists of 256 1 8 , 0 0 0 ampere cells producing 2 , 7 0 0 cu. metres per hour.
Knowles Electrolytic plant produces hydrogen of a constant high standard of purity, together with oxygen 99.8% pure. The plant is uniquely simple and safe and requires no highly skilled labour. Plants of all sizes up to a single installation absorbing 25,000 kW are in operation in all parts of the world. THE
INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROLYTIC
5ANDYCROFT
S
PLANT
CHESTER
CO.
LTD.
ENGLAND
U. S. A . Agents: AIR PRODUCTS, INC., P. O . Box No. 538, Allentown, Pa.
Qra(ilQJ(Bïï8o * ο will PURCHASE or REFINE . . . for your account· The facilities and experience of Truland may be employed advantageously for the economical upgrading and disposal of solvent S e n d for new booklet mixtures and organic which describes our by-products. operation Our technically trained personnel are available to discuss the refining of any solvent mixture or organic by-products CHEMICALCO.,
TRULAND INC.
EAST RUTHERFORD NEW JERSEY
Division
of
T h e Trubek
Laboratories
Incorporated
VOL. 50, NO. 1 • JANUARY 1958
113 A
