Aromatic feed with octane catalysts

In the previous examples, the feed characterizing correlations in Chapter 2 are used to determine composition of the feedstock. The results show that the feedstock is predominantly paraffinic (i.e., 61.6% paraffins. 19.9% naphthenes, and 18.5% aromatics). Paraffinic feedstocks normally yield the most gasoline with the least octane. This confirms the relatively high FCC gasoline yield and low octane observed in the test run. This is the kind of information that should be included in the report. Of course, the effects of other factors, such as catalyst and operating parameters, will also affect the yield structure and will be discussed. 

The bulk of the naphtha was hydrotreated and catalytically reformed over a chlorided Pt/Al203-based catalyst to produce an aromatic motor gasoline. However, the hydrotreated Fischer-Tropsch naphtha is a poor feed for standard catalytic reforming on account of its high linear hydrocarbon content (>75%).37 In order to limit liquid yield loss, typical operation resulted in a reformate with quite low octane value (Table 18.10). Higher octane reformate could be produced, but at the expense of significant liquid yield loss. 

Hydroisomerization is one of the few major refinery processes that allow refineries to cope with the future fuel regulations on the one side and the necessity to supply premium fuel with the necessary octane on the other side. Due to the limited volume the chemical industry can cope with in addition to the present level, future reduction of the aromatics in fuels will force the refineries to convert as much of the aromatics as possible to fuel components. One possible option is to feed the one-ring aromatics such as benzene to an isomerization unit. A state of the art hydroisomerization catalyst such as HYSOPAR is very active for benzene hydrogenation at temperatures as low as 100°C, where 100% hydrogenation is achieved, and can cope with up to 15 wt.-% of benzene in the feed. When sulfur in the range of 50 ppm is present in the feed, a partial inhibition of... 

The first use of platinum catalysts, the UOP Platforming process, went onstream in 1949. Originally developed to upgrade low octane number, straight-run naphtha, to high octane motor fuels, the process has since been applied to the production of LPG and high purity aromatics. With proper feed preparation, the Platforming process efficiently handles almost any refinery naphtha. 

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