SBIR Phase II: Solid Acid Catalyst with Optimally Distributed Active Sites

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project aims to develop a practical, cost-effective solid-acid catalyst alkylation technology, which will be an economically viable replacement for current alkylation processes, which use toxic liquid acids such as HF and H2SO4. The new technology will significantly reduce capital cost and operating expenses by using a novel multifunctional solid-acid catalyst that produces high-octane ultra-clean gasoline in a simple fixed-bed reactor. The multifunctional solid-acid catalyst significantly outperforms conventional solid-acid catalyst both in terms of catalyst activity and long-term stability. The octane number of the alkylate product obtained using this new catalyst is substantially higher than that obtained using a conventional solid-acid catalyst. Fifty refineries in the US use hydrofluoric acid (HF) in their alkylation units. The new "green" iso-paraffin alkylation technology is an economically viable alternative to HF catalyzed processes, which would eliminate such risks posed by toxic liquid acids. The multifunctional catalyst promises significantly improves yields and selectivities, minimizing waste by-products and disposal problems associated with liquid acids, and reduces CO2 emissions.