The Catalytic Reforming Processes

Several processes based on non-precious metal also exist. Because of high catalyst deactivation rates with these catalyst systems, they all require some form of continuous regeneration. The Fluid Hydroforming process uses fluid solids techniques to move catalyst between reactor and regenerator TCR and Hyperforming use some form of a moving bed system. 

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Mixtures of CO—H2 produced from hydrocarbons, as shown in the first two of these reactions, ate called synthesis gas. Synthesis gas is a commercial intermediate from which a wide variety of chemicals are produced. A principal, and frequendy the only source of hydrogen used in refineries is a by-product of the catalytic reforming process for making octane-contributing components for gasoline (see Gasoline and OTHER MOTOR fuels), eg. 

In the catalytic reforming process, the feed is pumped to operating pressure and mixed with a hydrogen-rich gas before heating to reaction temperatures. The net hydrogen produced is a by-product of the dehydrogenation and cyclization reactions. Several reactions occur ... 

Because hydrogen is used in the reforming reaction, materials must be selected according to API 941, except that C-V Mo should not be used (i.e., the minimum alloy for hydrogen service should be lCr-M Mo). As mentioned previously, this is because of C- Mo failures in catalytic reformers that some refiners have related to the catalytic reformer process regeneration. When selecting furnace tubes, for example, it is important to select the steel with the hydrogen resistance based on the metal temperature,... 

A reactor system similar to the fixed-bed reactor is the moving-bed reactor, in which the deactivation rate is relatively low, but too high for pure fixed-bed operation. An example of its application is the catalytic reforming processes. 

Toluene was produced commercially from petroleum during World War I at the rate of 3,000,000 pounds per month, and a limited number of articles on its production appeared during this period. No chemical grade aromatics were produced from that time until World War II, when large scale commercial production was initiated to meet requirements for TNT. Both the extractive process and the catalytic reforming processes used were discussed in the literature. Its production by the newer catalytic reforming processes has been discussed recently. References are listed under Toluene. 

The commercial utilization of o-xylene for phthalic anhydride in 1945, of p-xylene for synthetic fibers more recently, and the numerous applications of isophthalic derivatives from m-xylene have brought about intense interest in the production and separation of the xylenes. These compounds are produced by the catalytic reforming processes used for benzene and toluene and are discussed in articles on these processes. Fractionation processes for separation of o-xylene and fractional crystallization for separation of p-xylene are discussed in the recent literature. References to the xylenes are listed under Aromatics, Miscellaneous. 

B. C. Gates, J. R. Katzer, G. C. A. Schuit, Chemistry of Catalytic Processes, Chap. 3, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1979. Pt/AljOs and the catalytic reforming process. 

The catalytic reforming process is, together with catalytic cracking, one of the most important processes in modem refinery schemes. It is used to convert low octane n-alkanes and cycloalkanes with 5 to 10 carbon atoms contained in the petroleum naphtha into high-octane isoalkanes and aromatics gasoline components and hydrogen. Typically, reformer reactors operate at temperatures of 425-525 °C and hydrogen pressures of 0.5-3.0 MPa. 

The efficiency of the catalytic reforming process is determined by the relationship between the octane number (ON) and the liquid yield. For improvement of the ON of reformates the n-alkanes can be hydrocracked shape-selectively on narrow-pores zeolites, i.e. in case of the Selectoforming process (ref. 1) on metal containing H-erionite. During the past 15 years efforts were directed towards the integration of the shape-selective catalyst into the reforming unit (ref. 2). 

According to the number of operations carried out on a refinery site, some 7 to 10% of the fuel value of crude oil introduced is consumed in the separation and interconversion of product streams. If we momentarily take naphtha as a reference point, energy is required for the catalytic reforming process to provide higher octane gasoline. The subsequent separations of individual aromatic... 

Catalyst development for the catalytic-reforming process has focused on reducing coke make, allowing longer time before the catalyst needs to be replaced, and increased selectivity for aromatics, hydrogen, and gasoline. 

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