Olefin Saturation in Aromatics Complex Reformate Splitter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aromatics complexes face challenges in efficiently removing olefins from reformate streams, leading to contamination of benzene and para-xylene products, catalyst degradation, and significant losses in processing, necessitating costly treatments and reduced product yield.
Innovation Solution
An integrated olefin saturation scheme that separates the reformate stream into lighter and aromatic hydrocarbons, contacts these streams with an olefin saturation catalyst, and passes the treated streams through an olefin reduction zone to produce an olefin-treated reformate stream, reducing olefin content and enhancing product purity and yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a single ORP unit is installed on the full reformate stream to remove olefins, then olefin content is reduced, but significant losses of benzene and toluene occur due to saturation
Solution Approach 1:
The reformate stream is divided into separate processing paths: a first stream (reformate splitter overhead) containing lighter hydrocarbons and aromatics, and a second stream (reformate splitter bottoms) containing heavier hydrocarbons. Olefin saturation is applied selectively to the second stream, avoiding saturation losses in the first stream which contains valuable benzene and toluene.
Solution Approach 2:
Different processing conditions and catalysts are applied to different streams based on their specific requirements. The first stream receives treatment optimized for preserving light aromatics, while the second stream receives olefin saturation treatment appropriate for heavier hydrocarbons, ensuring each stream is treated with the quality needed for its composition.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If multiple separate treatment units are installed for different streams, then olefin removal efficiency is improved, but capital expenditures and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The ORP unit is designed with multi-functionality to treat different reformate streams (first stream and/or second stream) depending on configuration needs. A single ORP unit can be adapted to handle various stream combinations, providing universal olefin removal capability without requiring separate dedicated units for each stream.
Solution Approach 2:
The system configuration is made dynamic and flexible, allowing operators to select which streams to treat based on real-time requirements. The ORP unit can be configured to treat the first stream, second stream, or both streams, providing adaptability without increasing physical device complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach allows for a single Olefin Reduction Process (ORP) unit to treat multiple streams, reducing capital expenditures, extending clay treater life, and achieving olefin content specifications below 1 vol%, thereby improving product quality and yield while avoiding benzene and toluene saturation losses.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the first stream and/or the second stream with an olefin saturation catalyst to convert olefins to saturated hydrocarbons
Implementation Method 2
contacting the first stream and/or the second stream with an olefin saturation catalyst
Data Source
AI summary
Process and apparatuses for producing benzene and para-xylene from a reformate stream is provided. The process comprises separating the reformate stream to provide a first stream comprising C4 and lighter hydrocarbons and a second stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons. The second steam is provided to a reformate splitter to provide a reformate bottoms stream comprising C8+ aromatic hydrocarbons and a reformate overhead stream comprising C7− aromatic hydrocarbons. The reformate overhead stream is passed to an aromatics extraction unit to provide an aromatics extract stream comprising benzene and toluene and a raffinate stream comprising non-aromatic hydrocarbons. The reformate bottoms stream and one of the first stream and the raffinate stream is passed to an olefin reduction zone, wherein the reformate bottoms stream and one of the first stream and the raffinate stream are contacted with an olefin saturation catalyst under olefin saturation conditions to produce an olefin-treated reformate stream.