Process and plant for preparing purified benzene composition from crude hydrocarbon stream containing benzene

A process for preparing a purified benzene composition from a crude hydrocarbon stream containing at least 10% by volume of benzene comprising the following steps:

• a) subjecting the crude hydrocarbon stream and a further recycled benzene containing stream to a solvent based extraction so as to produce a benzene enriched aromatic stream and a benzene depleted non-aromatic stream,
• b) subjecting the benzene enriched aromatic stream to a hydrodesulfurization so as to obtain a desulfurized aromatic stream,
• c) subjecting the desulfurized aromatic stream to a distillation so as to produce a purified benzene stream and a further benzene containing stream, wherein the further benzene containing stream comprises benzene and at least one of cyclohexane, methylcyclopentane, 2,3 dimethyl pentane and 2,4 dimethyl pentane and has a benzene concentration of between less than 100% by weight and the azeotropic benzene concentration in the azeotrope formed of these compounds as dictated by the vapor-liquid equilibrium of the compounds contained in the further benzene containing stream, and
• d) at least partially recycling the further benzene containing stream.