Modernization of the catalytic reforming unit

A review of the literature data on the modernization of catalytic reforming plants and the catalysts used in the process is given, as well as an analysis of the operation of the existing hydrotreated naphtha reforming plant. It has been revealed that when using a foreign UOP R-264 catalyst on an industrial analog, a large amount of catalyst dust is formed. The catalyst used has a short service life compared to the catalysts currently developed by domestic manufacturers. Due to the urgency, the replacement of the foreign UPO R-264 catalyst with the high-tech domestic RC-12 catalyst, which has high selectivity, reduced coke formation, long service life, and high mechanical strength, was worked out. A calculation scheme of the process has been developed and the calculation of material balances has been carried out using an analog and a project in the Aspen Hysys V12 software package. It is shown that the yield of the target products – heavy and light reformats – increases with a slight decrease in the benzene–containing fraction. Data on the process of separating raw materials in the separation column into the corresponding streams, as well as the distribution of components on each plate of the apparatus, were obtained. The calculation of the main and auxiliary equipment was carried out in the software packages MathCad V15, MS Excel, and Aspen EDR V11. A 3D model of the installation was created, and a feasibility study of the project was carried out.