# US 2013/0158313 A1 · Integrated hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor in a catalytic reforming process configuration for improved aromatics production

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- Number: US 2013/0158313 A1
- Document ID: US20130158313A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/327,192
- Filed: 2011-12-15
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15
- Assignees: Uop LLC
- Inventors: Manuela Serban; Kurt M. Vanden Bussche; Mark D. Moser; David A. Wegerer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158313A1

## CPC

- C07C 5/41: Catalytic processes
- C07C 15/04: Benzene
- C07C 15/06: Toluene
- C10G 35/04: Catalytic reforming
- C10G 35/085: containing platinum group metals or compounds thereof
- C10G 35/095: containing crystalline alumino-silicates, e.g. molecular sieves {(C10G35/065 takes precedence)}
- C10G 35/24: Controlling or regulating of reforming operations
- C10G 59/00: Treatment of naphtha by two or more reforming processes only or by at least one reforming process and at least one process which does not substantially change the boiling range of the naphtha
- C10G 59/02: plural serial stages only
- C10G 69/08: including at least one step of reforming naphtha
- C10G 2400/30: Aromatics
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
- 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

## Abstract

A process for reforming hydrocarbons is presented. The process involves applying process controls over the reaction temperatures to preferentially convert a portion of the hydrocarbon stream to generate an intermediate stream, which will further react with reduced endothermicity. The intermediate stream is then processed at a higher temperature, where a second reforming reactor is operated under substantially isothermal conditions.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for producing aromatic compounds from a hydrocarbon feedstream, comprising:
passing the hydrocarbon feedstream to a hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor system, thereby generating a first stream;
passing the first stream to a fractionation unit to generate an overhead stream comprising C7 and lighter paraffins, and a bottoms stream comprising heavier hydrocarbons; and
passing the overhead stream to a high temperature reforming reactor system thereby generating a reformate product stream.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising:
passing the bottoms stream to a second reforming reactor system, thereby generating a second effluent stream; and
passing the second effluent stream to the high temperature reforming reactor system.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising passing the reformate product stream to a reformate splitter, thereby generating a reformate overhead stream comprising C6 and C7 aromatics, and a bottoms stream.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The process of claim 3 further comprising passing the reformate overhead stream to an aromatics recovery unit thereby generating an aromatics product stream comprising benzene and toluene, and a raffinate stream.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4 further comprising passing the raffinate stream to the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation unit.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor system uses a catalyst that performs two functions, one to hydrogenate olefins and one to dehydrogenate naphthenes.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor system uses a metal only catalyst.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the reforming reactor system comprises a plurality of reactors with inter-reactor heaters.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the high temperature reforming reactor system is operated at a temperature between 540° C. and 580° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor system is operated at a temperature between 420° C. and 460° C.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The process of claim 10 wherein the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor system is operated at a temperature between 425° C. and 450° C.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the feedstream is a full boiling range naphtha.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the first stream has a reduced olefin content.

### Claim 14 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2 further comprising:
passing regenerated catalyst through the second reforming reactor system, thereby generating a first catalyst stream;
passing regenerated catalyst to the high temperature reforming reactor system, thereby generating a second catalyst stream; and
passing the first catalyst stream and the second catalyst stream to a catalyst regenerator

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising:
passing regenerated catalyst through the high temperature reforming reactor system, thereby generating a high temperature catalyst effluent stream; and
passing the high temperature catalyst effluent stream to the second reforming reactor system, thereby generating a low temperature catalyst effluent stream.

### Claim 16

A process for producing aromatic compounds from a hydrocarbon feedstream, comprising:
passing the hydrocarbon feedstream to a hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor system, thereby generating a first stream;
passing the first stream to a fractionation unit to generate an overhead stream comprising C7 and lighter paraffins, and a bottoms stream comprising heavier hydrocarbons and aromatics;
passing the overhead stream to a high temperature reforming reactor system thereby generating a reformate product stream, operated at an inlet temperature between 540° C. and 580° C.;
passing a catalyst stream to the high temperature reforming reactor system, thereby generating a first catalyst effluent stream; and
passing the first catalyst effluent stream to a regenerator.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The process of claim 16 further comprising:
passing the reformate product stream to a reformate splitter to generate a reformate overhead stream comprising C6 and C7 aromatics, and a reformate bottoms stream comprising C8 and heavier aromatics and hydrocarbons; and
passing the reformate overhead stream to an aromatics recovery unit, thereby generating an aromatics product stream comprising benzene and toluene, and a raffinate stream.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The process of claim 17 further comprising passing the raffinate stream to the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The process of claim 17 further comprising;
passing the hydrocarbon feedstream to a naphtha hydrotreater to generate a treated naphtha stream;
passing the raffinate stream to the naphtha hydrotreater; and
passing the treated naphtha stream and the treated raffinate stream to the hydrogenation/dehydrogenation reactor.