SELECTIVE HYDROGENATION OF AROMATICS IN HYDROCARBON STREAMS

摘要

A process for the hydrogenation of a selected aromatic, such as benzene contained in a naphtha stream to cyclohexane wherein the distillation column reactor is operated such that the portion of the naphtha containing the benzene is maintained in the catalyst bed such that essentially only benzene is hydrogenated. The reactor is operated at a pressure wherein the reaction mixture is boiling under low hydrogen partial pressure in the range of about 0.1 psi to less than 70 psia at 0 to 350 psig. The catalyst is provided as a catalytic distillation structure such that the reaction is concurrently occurring with a distillation. A portion of the overheads is returned as reflux to provide cooling within the catalyst bed and concurrent condensation of some of the gaseous material within the bed.