Advocates of the hydrofluoric acid process argue that both capital and

total operating costs are less than those of sulfuric acid processes for the
: following reasons
Smaller and simpler reactor design are feasible -1
Cooling water can be used instead of refrigeration -2
smaller settling devices are needed for emulsions -3
Essentially complete regeneration of hydrofluoric acid catalyst -4
.occurs
Hence, Hydrofluoric acid consumption and costs are very low
.Disposal of spent
.acid is not necessary
There is increased flexibility of operation relative to -5
temperature,the external
ratio of isobutane to olefin,and so
.on
There is decreased need for turbulence or agitation when acid and -6
.hydrocarbon
streams are combined
Advocates of sulfuric acid processes counter the above agreements
for hydrofluoric
: acid processes with the following
Additional equipment is needed for the hydrofluoric acid process -1
to recover or neutralize in various streams.Such equipment includes
the hydrofluoric acid stripper tower ,regeneration tower and
neutralization facilities for the several product streams.With sulfuric
.acid ,the entire effluent hydrocarbon stream is neutralized
Equipment is required to dry the feed streams to a few ppm water -2
in hydrofluric acid processes.Drying is beneficial but not required in
. sulfuric acid processes
Normally,only feed coalscers are used to remove the free water that
.drops out of the chilled feed
Additional equipment at increased cost is required for safety in a -3
hydrofluoric acid unit.In some hydrofluoric plants ,a closed cooling
water system is required as a safety measure in the event of
.hydrofluoric acid leakage into the system
Maintenance costs and the amount of safety equipment in
.hydrofluoric acid processes are greater
Capital costs for hydrofluoric acid processes are slightly more than -4
sulfuric acid processes when the cost of hydrofluoric acid matigation
.equipment is included
Capital costs for hydrofluoric acid processes are slightly more than
sulfuric acid processes when the cost of hydrofluoric acid matigation
.equipment is included
Isobutane in hydrofluoric acid processes is not fully used for -5
production of alkylate,because self-alkylation occurs to a higher
.extent when hydrofuoric acid is used as catalyst

There are greater limitations on obtaining alkylates with high -6

octane numbers with hydrofluoric acid processes.This is particulary
. true if isobutylene is removed from the feed by an upsrteam
Safety and environmental restrictions limit the use of hydrofluoric -7
.acid systems in highly populated areas