Processes and apparatuses for isomerizing hydrocarbons

A process for isomerizing hydrocarbons, wherein the process comprises:

• providing a first hydrocarbon feed comprising hydrocarbons having from 5 to 7 carbon atoms;
• fractionating the first hydrocarbon feed to produce a first separated stream comprising hydrocarbons having from 5 to 6 carbon atoms and less than about 5 wt-% hydrocarbons having more than 6 carbon atoms and comprising benzene and a second separated stream comprising hydrocarbons having 7 carbon atoms;
• contacting the first separated stream with a benzene saturation catalyst at benzene saturation conditions to produce an intermediate stream comprising cyclohexane;
• separating a first flash drum overhead stream comprising butane and lighter boiling hydrocarbons and gases from the intermediate stream in a first flash drum to provide a net first flash drum bottoms stream;
• isomerizing the net first flash drum bottoms stream in the presence of a first isomerization catalyst and hydrogen under first isomerization conditions to produce a first isomerized stream;
• isomerizing the second separated stream in the presence of a second isomerization catalyst and hydrogen under second isomerization conditions to produce a second isomerized stream;
• separating a second flash drum overhead stream comprising butane and lighter boiling hydrocarbons and gases from the second isomerized stream in a second flash drum to provide a second flash drum bottoms stream;
• stabilizing the first isomerized stream and second flash drum bottoms stream to provide a first isomerized stabilized stream and a second isomerized stabilized stream;
• and
• passing the first isomerized stabilized stream and the second isomerized stabilized stream to a split shell column comprising a deisohexanizer and a deisoheptanizer to provide a net isomerate product.