Reverse isomerization process using feedstock containing dissolved hydrogen

A process for reverse isomerization of a light naphtha feedstock comprising branched C5-C7 paraffins, the process comprising:

• feeding a mixed feed stream comprising the light naphtha feedstock to a separation unit to generate an iso-paraffin stream and one or more normal paraffin streams;
• mixing hydrogen gas and a hydrocarbon feed stream comprising the iso-paraffin stream in a mixing zone to fully dissolve the hydrogen gas in the hydrocarbon feed stream to form a hydrogen-enriched liquid feed stream, wherein the mixing zone comprises one or more gas-liquid distributor vessels that include a plurality of hydrogen distribution apparatus, each hydrogen distribution apparatus comprising a tubular injector fitted with a nozzle, a jet, or a nozzle and jet and that is configured to uniformly distribute hydrogen gas into the hydrocarbon feed stream to achieve a saturation state in the mixing zone;
• providing the hydrogen-enriched liquid feed stream to one or more reverse isomerization reactors;
• operating the reverse isomerization reactor by contacting the hydrogen-enriched liquid feed stream with a solid reverse isomerization catalyst for reverse hydroisomerization in a two-phase liquid-solid reverse isomerization fixed-bed reaction zone under conditions that minimize cracking reactions and that are effective to convert iso-paraffins to normal paraffins and recovering an equilibrium composition of normal and iso-paraffins in an isomerization effluent stream;
• providing the isomerization effluent stream to a stabilization column to separate the isomerization effluent stream into a C1-C4 hydrocarbon stream and a stabilized isomerate stream;
• and
• combining the stabilized isomerate stream with the light naphtha feedstock to generate the mixed feed stream.