RECYCLE OF TRANSALKYLATION EFFLUENT FRACTIONS ENRICHED IN TRIMETHYLBENZENE

摘要

Methods are disclosed for producing C8 aromatic hydrocarbons. Representative methods comprise fractionating a transalkylation effluent, exiting a transalkylation reaction zone and comprising C8 and C9 aromatic hydrocarbons, to provide a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-enriched fraction and a C9 aromatic hydrocarbon-enriched fraction. The methods may further comprise (i) recycling the C9 aromatic hydrocarbon-enriched fraction to the transalkylation reaction zone and/or (ii) separating, in a xylene separation zone, isomers of C8 aromatic hydrocarbons in the C8 aromatic hydrocarbon-enriched fraction, into a para-xylene-enriched extract and a para-xylene-depleted raffinate. Performance in the transalkylation reaction zone is improved and/or downstream processing requirements in an aromatics complex are mitigated.