US 7,351,325 B2 · Catalytic naphtha reforming process

Abstract

A process and apparatus for catalytic reforming of hydrocarbons wherein the effluent stream from the first and/or second reactor of a reforming train with several reactors in series is cooled in a multistage process to remove aromatic compounds in the reacting medium prior to being reheated and returned to subsequent reactors for additional reaction to occur. The partial removal of aromatic compounds enhances the driving force for the conversion of paraffins and naphthenes by making the equilibrium more favorable to such conversion. The removal of aromatic compounds reduces the size of downstream process equipment thereby reducing capital costs and lowering energy usage. It is possible to add additional feed streams to reactors downstream of the intermediate reactor effluent cooling step thereby making the process unit capable of processing more feedstock to produce more product.

Claims24

Dependent claims

A process for increasing an aromatic content of a reformate stream comprising the steps of:

supplying and reacting a hydrocarbon feed stream in a first reactor to produce a first reactor effluent stream;
cooling and partially condensing the first reactor effluent stream in a first cooler to produce a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream;
cooling and partially condensing the first vapor stream in a second cooler to produce a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream;
combining and cooling the first and the second liquid streams and sending the first and the second liquid streams directly to a reformate pool, such that a substantial portion of the aromatics in the first reactor effluent stream is collected in the reformate pool;
and
heating the second vapor stream and sending the second vapor stream to a second reactor.

3 more elements

A process for forming aromatic compounds from a reformate stream comprising the steps of:

supplying and reacting a hydrocarbon feed stream in a first reactor to produce a first reactor effluent stream;
cooling and partially condensing the first reactor effluent stream in a first cooler to produce a first vapor stream and a first liquid stream;
cooling and partially condensing the first vapor stream in a second cooler to produce a second vapor stream and a second liquid stream;
combining and cooling the first and the second liquid streams and sending the first and the second liquid streams directly to a reformate pool, such that a substantial portion of the aromatics in the first reactor effluent stream is sent to the reformate pool;
heating the second vapor stream and then sending a first portion of the second vapor stream to the second reactor and a second portion of the second vapor stream to a third reactor;
reacting the first portion of the second vapor stream in the second reactor to produce a second reactor effluent stream;
and
combining the second reactor effluent stream with the first reactor effluent stream and cooling and partially condensing the first reactor effluent stream in the first cooler thereby cooling and partially condensing the second reactor effluent stream along with the first reactor effluent stream.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Catalytic naphtha reforming process

Life of this patent

Catalytic naphtha reforming process

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims24