Staged catalytic reforming process

Abstract

A process and a system for reforming and upgrading a heavy naphtha feedstock may include dehydrogenating naphthenes in the heavy naphtha feedstock to form a first effluent stream comprising aromatics and then separating the aromatics via extraction from the produced first effluent stream to produce a second effluent stream containing raffinate paraffins. The process may then include subjecting the second effluent stream to cyclization reactions to produce a third effluent stream comprising aromatics and then combining the first effluent stream and the third effluent stream prior to extraction

1 .- 11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . A system for producing and separating aromatics from a heavy naphtha feedstock, the feedstock comprising at least paraffins and naphthenes, wherein the system comprises:
 one or more dehydrogenation reactors for converting naphthenes in the heavy naphtha feedstocks into aromatics in a first effluent;   an aromatic extracting unit for extracting at least a portion of the aromatics from the first effluent to form a second effluent stream of raffinate comprising at least the paraffins; and   one or more cyclization reactors for converting the paraffins in the second effluent stream into aromatics in a third effluent stream.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a separating unit for separating a bottom stream comprising the aromatics of the first and third effluent stream from a hydrogen gas stream. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , further comprising a stabilizing unit for separating a liquid reformate stream comprising the aromatics of bottom stream from a hydrogen gas stream. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the system comprises two or more of the cyclization reactors connected in series. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the dehydrogenation reactors are operated at a temperature ranging from 400 to 450° C. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the cyclization reactors are operated at a temperature ranging from 480 to 520° C. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the first separator unit also feeds to a compressor unit which feeds back to the one or more dehydrogenation reactors. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the extraction unit also feeds the aromatic extraction to an aromatic recovery unit. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the aromatic extracting unit is configured to form the second effluent stream containing raffinate paraffins wherein the paraffins are comprised in an amount ranging from 95 to 99 wt % and wherein unreacted naphthenes and residual aromatics are comprised in amount ranging from 1 to 5 wt %.