Reforming with selective reformate olefin saturation
AssigneeUop LLC
InventorsBryan K. Glover, Aronson L. Huebner
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Abstract
A process combination is disclosed to selectively upgrade hydrocarbons in a manner to essentially eliminate olefins in product from the combination. Preferably the hydrocarbons comprise naphtha which is reformed to upgrade its octane number and/or to produce aromatic intermediates, followed by hydrogenation of olefins in the reformate. Olefin saturation optimally is effected by catalytic reaction on an olefin-containing reformate taken at an intermediate point from the effluent side of the reforming-process feed-effluent heat exchanger. Saturation is performed in a defined temperature range which results in selective hydrogenation.
Claims7
A reforming process for upgrading a naphtha feedstock to obtain an aromatics-enriched, low-olefin product comprising reforming the feedstock with a catalyst comprising a supported platinum-group metal component in a reforming zone in the presence of hydrogen at reforming conditions to obtain an olefin-containing reformate, exchanging heat between the reformate and the feedstock in a feed-effluent indirect heat exchange zone, withdrawing at least a portion of the reformate from an intermediate point in the heat exchange zone, contacting the withdrawn, unseparated reformate in a saturation zone with a saturation catalyst comprising a platinum-group metal component and a refractory inorganic oxide at saturation conditions including a pressure of from about 1 atmosphere to 20 atmospheres absolute, a liquid hourly space velocity of from about 1 to 40 hr−1 and a temperature within a range as defined by:
- minimum temperature,
- ° K={528/[1−0.021 In (200*{H2 partial pressure}3)]}
- and
- maximum temperature,
- ° K={827/[1−0.056 In (0.4*H2 partial pressure/% C6+paraffins)]},
- wherein H2 partial pressure is expressed in atmospheres and C6+paraffins as mass-% of the feedstock, to obtain a saturated reformate and returning the saturated reformate to the heat exchanger.
A catalytic reforming process for upgrading a naphtha feedstock to obtain an aromatics-enriched, low-olefin product comprising reforming the feedstock with a reforming catalyst comprising a supported platinum-group metal component in a reforming zone in the presence of hydrogen at reforming conditions to obtain an olefin-containing reformate stream comprising hydrogen, exchanging heat between the reformate and the feedstock in a first portion of a heat exchange zone, withdrawing at least an unseparated portion of the reformate stream from an intermediate point in the heat exchange zone, contacting the withdrawn reformate stream in a saturation zone with a saturation catalyst comprising a platinum-group metal component and a refractory inorganic oxide at saturation conditions including a pressure of from about 1 atmosphere to 20 atmospheres absolute, a liquid hourly space velocity of from about 1 to 40 hr−1 and a temperature within the range as defined by:
- minimum temperature,
- ° K={528/[1−0.021 In (200*{H2 partial pressure}3)]}
- and
- maximum temperature,
- ° K={827/[1−0.056 In (0.4*H2 partial pressure/mass-% C6+paraffins)]},
- wherein H2 partial pressure is expressed in atmospheres and C6+paraffins as mass-% of the feedstock, to obtain a saturated reformate stream, returning the saturated reformate stream to the heat exchange zone and fractionating the saturated reformate to remove light hydrocarbons produced in the reforming zone and residual hydrogen remaining from the saturation zone and obtain a stabilized reformate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.