A liquid acid process is disclosed in which a hydrocarbon component containing an olefin, an olefin precursor or mixture and an isoalkane and a liquid acid catalyst is fed to a downflow reaction zone containing a disperser, under conditions to induce pulse flow at or near the outlet to react the isoalkane and olefin to produce a reaction product and feeding the reaction product to a vaporization zone containing a disperser under conditions to induce pulse flow at or near the outlet of the vaporization zone. A pressure drop across the disperser in the vaporization zone causes partial vaporization of the hydrocarbon which quenches the heat reaction and cooling the unvaporized portion of said reaction product, which is recovered and allowed to separate into an acid phase and hydrocarbon phase containing the alkylate. The acid catalyst and hydrocarbons may be fractally fed to the reaction zone.