Process for the production of gasoline blending components and aromatic hydrocarbons from lower alkanes

Abstract

An integrated process for producing gasoline blending components and aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises: (a) contacting a lower alkane feed with an aromatic hydrocarbon conversion catalyst to produce an aromatic reaction product mixture which is comprised of benzene and/or toluene and/or xylene, C 9 aromatic products, C 10 aromatic products including naphthalene and, optionally, C 11+ aromatic products, (b) separating and recovering the aromatic reaction product mixture, (c) separating and recovering benzene, (d) optionally separating recovering toluene and/or xylene, and (e) separating and recovering the C 9 aromatic products and the C 10 aromatic products which boil at a lower temperature than naphthalene from the naphthalene and the C 10 aromatic reaction products which boil at a higher temperature than naphthalene and any C 11+ aromatic products.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated process for producing gasoline blending components and aromatic hydrocarbons which comprises:
 (a) contacting a lower alkane feed with an aromatic hydrocarbon conversion catalyst to produce an aromatic reaction product mixture which is comprised of benzene and/or toluene and/or xylene, C9 aromatic products, C10 aromatic products including naphthalene and, optionally, C11+ aromatic products,   (b) separating and recovering the aromatic reaction product mixture,   (c) separating and recovering benzene, and   (d) separating and recovering toluene and/or xylene and the C9 aromatic products and the C10 aromatic products which boil at a lower temperature than naphthalene from the naphthalene and the C10 aromatic reaction products which boil at a higher temperature than naphthalene and any C11+ aromatic products.   
     
     
         2 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein step (d) further comprises separating and recovering toluene and/or xylene and separating and recovering the C9 aromatic products and the C10 aromatic products which boil at a lower temperature than naphthalene. 
     
     
         3 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  further comprising hydrodealkylating the toluene and/or xylene to produce additional benzene. 
     
     
         4 . A process as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the C9 aromatic products and the C10 aromatic products which boil at a lower temperature than naphthalene comprises indane, methyl indane, indene, methyl indene or mixtures thereof.