# US 10,308,883 B2 · Process for desulfurizing cracked naphtha > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,308,883 B2 - Document ID: US10308883B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/877,471 - Filed: 2015-10-07 - Published: 2017-04-13 - Granted: 2019-06-04 - Earliest claimed: 2015-10-07 - Assignees: Axens; Ifp Energies Nouvelles - Applicants: IFP Energies nouvelles; Axens - Inventors: Heloise Dreux; Romina Digne; Frederic Feugnet; Jean-Michel Besnault; Geoffrey Dubin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10308883B2 ## CPC - C10G 45/02: to eliminate hetero atoms without changing the skeleton of the hydrocarbon involved and without cracking into lower boiling hydrocarbons; Hydrofinishing - B01D 3/007: {Energy recuperation; Heat pumps} - C10G 7/00: Distillation of hydrocarbon oils - C10G 7/12: Controlling or regulating - C10G 9/00: Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils - C10G 11/00: Catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils (cracking in direct contact with molten metals or salts C10G9/34) - C10G 65/04: including only refining steps - C10G 2300/1044: Heavy gasoline or naphtha having a boiling range of about 100 - 180 °C - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - B01D: SEPARATION (separating solids from solids by wet methods B03B, B03D; by pneumatic jigs or tables B03B; by other dry methods B07; magnetic or electrostatic separation of solid materials from solid materials or fluids, separation by high-voltage electric fields B03C; centrifuges, vortex apparatus B04; presses per se for squeezing-out liquid from liquid-containing material B30B9/02; treatment of water C02F, e.g. softening by ion-exchange C02F1/42; {arrangements of air intake cleaners in gas turbine plants F02C7/05} ; arrangements or mounting of filters in air-conditioning, air-humidification or ventilation F24F13/28) ## Abstract A process for desulfurizing a cracked naphtha containing organic sulfur compounds: a) feeding the cracked naphtha to a distillation column comprising a bottom reboiler; b) fractionating said cracked naphtha into a light naphtha fraction and a heavy naphtha fraction which is removed as bottoms from the distillation column; c) feeding the heavy naphtha fraction and hydrogen to a hydrodesulfurization unit containing a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent. The process further includes providing heat to the distillation column by an intermediate reboiler powered with a heat source having a temperature lower than that one of the bottom reboiler. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for desulfurizing a cracked naphtha containing organic sulfur compounds comprising: a) feeding the cracked naphtha to a distillation column comprising a bottom reboiler; b) fractionating said cracked naphtha into a light naphtha fraction and a heavy naphtha fraction which is removed as bottoms from the distillation column; c) feeding the heavy naphtha fraction and hydrogen to a hydrodesulfurization unit containing a hydrodesulfurization catalyst to produce a first desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent; the process further comprising: d) heat exchanging the first desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent in a first indirect heat exchanger to pre-heat the heavy naphtha fraction and to provide a second desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent; e) withdrawing an intermediate naphtha fraction as a side draw from the distillation column at a side draw tray located below the feed inlet and above the heavy naphtha fraction bottom outlet, wherein the side draw tray has a temperature at least 10° C. lower than the temperature of the lowermost tray of the column, and higher than the temperature of the feed tray; f) heating said intermediate naphtha fraction at a lower temperature than the bottom reboiler, with an intermediate reboiler supplied with the desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent as a heat source having a temperature lower than the bottom reboiler and to provide a third desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent; g) recycling the heated intermediate naphtha fraction to the distillation column at the intermediate naphtha fraction side draw tray or at a tray located below the intermediate naphtha fraction side draw tray of the column and above a lowermost tray of the distillation column h) heat exchanging the third desulfurized heavy naphtha effluent in a second indirect heat exchanger to pre-heat the cracked naphtha. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the intermediate reboiler is additionally supplied with a process stream of a refinery as a heat source. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the heated intermediate naphtha fraction is recycled at a tray located below the side draw tray and wherein said tray has a temperature between the temperature of the heated intermediate naphtha fraction and the temperature of the side draw tray. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the cracked naphtha is a thermally or catalytically cracked naphtha. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the cracked naphtha is a gasoline having a boiling point from the boiling points of hydrocarbons having five carbon atoms (C5) to 250° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein prior to a) the cracked naphtha is treated in the presence of hydrogen in a selective hydrogenation unit and effluent recovered from the selective hydrogenation unit is sent to a). ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the distillation column is operated and configured such that there is a cut point between the light naphtha fraction and the heavy naphtha fraction at a temperature below 160° C. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The process according to claim 7, wherein the cut point is 50° C. to 100° C. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the heavy cracked naphtha fraction is treated in a hydrodesulfurization unit comprising at least one reactor including a hydrodesulfurization catalyst bed, in the presence of hydrogen, at a temperature of 160 to 420° C., at a pressure of 0.5 to 8 MPa, at a liquid space velocity of 0.5 to 10 h−1 and with an H2/heavy cracked naphtha fraction ratio of 100 to 600 liters per liter. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the heavy cracked naphtha fraction is treated in a hydrodesulfurization unit comprising a first and a second reactor in series, each including a hydrodesulfurization catalyst bed, in the presence of hydrogen, at a temperature of 160 to 420° C., at a pressure of 0.5 to 8 MPa, at a liquid space velocity of 0.5 to 10 h−1 and with an H2/heavy cracked naphtha fraction ratio of 100 to 600 liters per liter and wherein the temperature of the second reactor is higher than that one of the first reactor. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the light cracked naphtha fraction is further treated in a hydrodesulfurization unit. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the side draw tray has a temperature at least 20° C. lower than the temperature of the lowermost tray of the column. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The process according to claim 1, wherein the side draw tray has a temperature at least 30° C. lower than the temperature of the lowermost tray of the column. ### Claim 14 (depends on 7) The process according to claim 7, wherein the cut point is 55° C. to 70 ° C.