# US 2013/0158320 A1 · Initial hydrotreating of naphthenes with subsequent high temperature reforming

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- Number: US 2013/0158320 A1
- Document ID: US20130158320A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/327,143
- Filed: 2011-12-15
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2011-12-15
- Assignees: Uop LLC
- Inventors: Mark D. Moser; Kurt M. Vanden Bussche; David A. Wegerer; Manuela Serban
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130158320A1

## CPC

- C10G 59/02: plural serial stages only
- C07C 5/32: by dehydrogenation with formation of free hydrogen
- C10G 35/00: Reforming naphtha
- C10G 2400/30: Aromatics
- 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
- C07C: ACYCLIC OR CARBOCYCLIC COMPOUNDS

## Abstract

A process for the production of aromatics through the reforming of a hydrocarbon stream is presented. The process utilizes the differences in properties of components within the hydrocarbon stream to increase the energy efficiency. The differences in the reactions of different hydrocarbon components in the conversion to aromatics allows for different treatments of the different components to reduce the energy used in reforming process.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for increasing the yields of aromatics from a hydrocarbon feedstream, comprising:
passing the hydrocarbon feedstream to a first reactor system operated at a first set of reaction conditions, including a first reaction temperature, to generate a hydrocarbon stream with a reduced naphthenic content;
passing the reduced naphthene hydrocarbon stream to a second reactor system operated at a second set of reaction conditions, including an elevated temperature, to cyclize and aromatize the paraffinic compounds to generate an aromatic process stream; and
passing the aromatic process stream to a reformate splitter to generate a reformate overhead comprising C6 and C7 aromatics, and a reformate bottoms stream comprising heavier hydrocarbons.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 where the first reactor system is a dehydrogenation reactor system and the reaction conditions include dehydrogenation conditions, and the second reactor system is a reforming reactor system and the reaction conditions include reforming reaction conditions.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 further comprising passing the reformate overhead to an aromatics separation unit to generate an aromatics product stream and a raffinate stream.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2 wherein the reforming reactor system comprises a plurality of reforming reactors with inter-reactor heaters.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The process of claim 4 wherein the inter-reactor heaters raise the temperature of the reduced naphthene hydrocarbon stream to a temperature of at least 540° C.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the first set of reaction conditions include a temperature in the range of 440° C. to 560° C.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The process of claim 6 wherein the first set of conditions include a temperature in the range 445° C. to 475° C.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2 wherein the reforming conditions include a temperature in the range 540° C. to 600° C.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the first reactor system converts less than 5% of the C7 paraffins.

### Claim 10 (depends on 2)

The process of claim 2 wherein the dehydrogenation reactor is a reforming reactor system, wherein the first reaction temperature is lower than the elevated temperature.

### Claim 11 (depends on 3)

The process of claim 3 further comprising passing the raffinate stream to the reforming reactor system.

### Claim 12 (depends on 3)

The process of claim 3 further comprising passing the raffinate stream to the dehydrogenation reactor system.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The process of claim 1 wherein the catalyst in the first reactor system and the second reactor system is the same catalyst.

### Claim 14

A process for increasing the yields of aromatics from a hydrocarbon feedstream, comprising:
passing the hydrocarbon feedstream to a first reforming reactor system operated at reforming reaction conditions, and at a temperature in the range of 440° C. to 560° C., to generate a hydrocarbon stream with a reduced naphthenic content; and
passing the reduced naphthene hydrocarbon stream to a second reforming reactor system, operated at reforming conditions, including an elevated temperature in the range of 540° C. to 580° C., to cyclize and aromatize the paraffinic compounds to generate an aromatic process stream.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 further comprising passing the aromatic process stream to a reformate splitter to generate a reformate overhead comprising C6 and C7 aromatics, and a reformate bottoms stream comprising heavier hydrocarbons.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The process of claim 15 further comprising passing the reformate overhead to an aromatics separation unit to generate an aromatics process stream and a raffinate stream.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The process of claim 16 further comprising passing the raffinate stream to the reforming reactor system.

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 wherein the second reforming reactor system comprises a plurality of reforming reactors and inter-reactor heaters.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The process of claim 18 wherein the plurality of reforming reactors have sequentially equal or increasing inlet temperatures.

### Claim 20 (depends on 14)

The process of claim 14 further comprising injecting a sulfur compound into the hydrocarbon feedstream upstream of the first reforming reactor.