Abstract:
THE PROCESS COMPRISES CONTACTING NAPHTHA AND HYDROGEN WITH A FIRST CATALYST UNDER HYDROFORMING CONDITIONS AND FINALLY WITH A SECOND CATALYST UNDER HYDROFORMING CONDITIONS. THE FIRST CATALYST COMPRISES A GROUP VIII METAL, A HALIDE, AND ALUMINA. THE SECOND CATALYST COMPRISES A GROUP VIII METAL, MORDENITE, AND ALUMINA. THE SECOND CATALYST MAY BE CHARACTERIZED FURTHER BY 0.1 TO 1.2 WT. PERCENT CHLORIDE.
Abstract:
The process comprises contacting a petroleum hydrocarbon feedstock in a reactor system in the presence of hydrogen and under reforming conditions with a catalyst comprising a Group VIII metal, mordenite, and an adsorbent refractory inorganic oxide, such as catalytically active alumina. The reactor system is composed of a maximum number of two reactors. The preferred feedstock contains relatively high concentrations of aromatics and/or naphthenes. The above-described catalyst is the sole catalyst in said reactor system. The process employs a weight hourly space velocity of at least 5. The process produces high yields of aromatics and gasolines having high octane numbers.