What is HF Alky?

Crude oil from the ground is a varied mixture of long and short hydrocarbon chains. Typically 10 to 40% of crude falls in the
classification of gasoline (C4-C12). In an attempt to maximize the sellable fraction of gasoline content, refineries will crack larger
C13+ molecules down to the C4-C12 range, and they will use alkylation processes to merge C2-C3 with C6-C5 molecules together
and push them into the C4-C12 range (especially to form octane C8). Using these techniques, refineries can yield up to 70% of the
crude into the gasoline range.

Alkylation units are found in petroleum refinery sites. In the alkylation unit, two less-desirable hydrocarbons from the crude oil
(isobutane and propene/butene) merge together and form a more-desirable isoheptane/isooctane (i.e., the alkylate). The alkylate is
a high-octane gasoline additive, which has exceptional antiknock properties and exhibits cleaner combustion.

This alkylation process requires a concentrated acid to act as a catalyst in the reaction. There are two good options for this acid:
sulfuric acid (H2SO4) or hydrofluoric acid (HF). HF alkylation units produce an alkylate with elevated octane ratings compared to the
product of sulfuric acid alkylation units, and less acid is consumed during the reaction, so HF is currently the preferred option. Due
to its hazardous nature, risk assessment in HF alkylation units is critical from the safety and environmental perspectives. To address
the rigorous expectations of mitigating these extreme risks, API RP 751 is typically referenced and strictly followed.

HF poses significant risk of corrosion problems in the alkylation units. Empirical evidence has found that two alloy groupings resist
corrosion in some HF environments: (1) Monels, which are quite expensive, and (2) especially-clean carbon steels, which are
somewhat less expensive, but which require significant controls on the cleanliness of the carbon steel alloy. These alloy controls are
identified in ASTM/ASME A/SA106 S9, A/SA333 S2 and API RP751 Annex D. Compatible carbon steels react with HF to form a
hermetic iron-fluoride surface layer which significantly reduces general corrosion rates (similar to how stainless steel surfaces
passivate). Since small amounts of atomic hydrogen are produced as a by-product of this reaction, and may attack the steel in a
manner similar to H2S, these steels must also meet the requirements of ANSI/NACE MR0103/ISO 17495.
Because carbon steels used in HF alkylation units
must have especially low levels of impurity, they
Preferential Corrosion in an HF Alky Unit
are often referred to as Low Residual Element
Steel, Low RE Steel, or LRES. Supply of these
special steels is continuously decreasing
worldwide. Bri-Steel has flown NPS 26 to NPS 36
Heavy Wall pipes in airplanes to the Middle East
and South Africa for HF Alkylation service
installations.

Bri-Steel can manufacture pipe from custom-

HF Resistant Recycled Steel
designed carbon steel alloys that meet the strict Carbon Steel
cleanliness requirements of HF alkylation units.
Since HF alkylation units have large economies of Alloy Content of ASTM/ASME A/SA106 Supplemental S9
scale and large diameter pipes are often required, Bri-Steel’s Special-Alloy ASTM/ASME A/SA333 Supplemental S2
Bri-Steel’s special-HF-alloy large diameter Products API Recommended Practice RP751
seamless pipe is an ideal option. CE IIW 0.36 to 0.39% Max CE IIW 0.43%
Talk with us today about piping for HF alkylation. For WT < 1 inch
V < 0.01% Max V 0.02%
Nb < 0.01% Max Nb 0.02%
(V+Nb) < 0.01% Max (V+Nb) 0.03%
www.bri-steel.com (Ni+Cu) <0.05% Max (Ni+Cu) 0.15%
websales@bri-steel.com
(780) 469-6603 C 0.18 to 0.22% Min C 0.18%