Processes for increasing the overall aromatics and xylenes yield in an aromatics complex

A process for increasing overall aromatics and xylenes yield in an aromatics complex, the process comprising the steps of:

• separating C8+ aromatics, from an aromatics-rich reformate, into a C8 aromatics fraction and a C9+ aromatics fraction comprising higher alkyl group-substituted C9 and C10 aromatics;
• isomerizing a portion of the higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics to produce a methyl-enriched C9+ aromatics stream containing naphthenes;
• separating the methyl-enriched C9+ aromatics stream containing naphthenes into a lighter boiling, higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics fraction containing the naphthenes, and a heavier boiling, methyl-enriched C9+ aromatics fraction;
• recycling at least a portion of the lighter boiling, higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics fraction containing the naphthenes to the isomerizing step;
• and
• transalkylating the methyl-enriched C9+ aromatics fraction or a methyl-enriched C9/C10 aromatics fraction with a toluene-containing stream.

A process for increasing overall aromatics and xylenes yield in an aromatics complex, the process comprising the steps of:

• a. isomerizing higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics to convert a portion of the higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics into methyl-enriched C9 aromatics producing an isomerization product comprising a heavier boiling, methyl-enriched C9 aromatics fraction and a lighter boiling, higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics fraction containing naphthenes;
• b. separating the isomerization product into the heavier boiling, methyl-enriched C9 aromatics fraction and the lighter boiling, higher alkyl group-substituted C9 aromatics fraction, the methyl-enriched C9 aromatics fraction combining with a C9+ aromatics fraction to form a methyl-enriched C9+ aromatics fraction;
• and
• c. transalkylating the methyl-enriched C9+ aromatics fraction from step b with a toluene-containing stream.

A process for increasing overall aromatics and xylenes yield in an aromatics complex, the process comprising the steps of:

• separating C8+ aromatics into a C8 aromatics fraction as a reformate splitter sidecut and a C9+ aromatics fraction from the bottom stream of the reformate splitter;
• separating the C9+ aromatics fraction into a C11+ aromatics fraction and a C9/C10 aromatics fraction;
• isomerizing the C9/C10 aromatics fraction to produce an isomerization product comprising methyl-enriched C9/C10 aromatics and naphthenes;
• dehydrogenating the isomerization product to convert the naphthenes into aromatics;
• and
• transalkylating the isomerization product after the dehydrogenation step with a toluene-containing stream.