Application: The CDHydro and CDHDS processes are used to selectively desulfurize FCC gasoline with minimum octane loss.
Products: Ultra-low-sulfur FCC gasoline with maximum retention of olefins and octane.
Description: The light, mid and heavy cat naphthas (LCN, MCN, HCN) are treated separately, under optimal conditions for each. The fullrange FCC gasoline sulfur reduction begins with fractionation of the light naphtha overhead in a CDHydro column. Mercaptan sulfur reacts quantitatively with excess diolefins to produce heavier sulfur compounds, and the remaining diolefins are partially saturated to olefins by reaction with hydrogen. Bottoms from the CDHydro column, containing the reacted mercaptans, are fed to the CDHDS column where the MCN and HCN are catalytically desulfurized in two separate zones. HDS conditions are optimized for each fraction to achieve the desired sulfur reduction with minimal olefin saturation. Olefins are concentrated at the top of the column, where conditions are mild, while sulfur is concentrated at the bottom where the conditions result in very high levels of HDS.
No cracking reactions occur at the mild conditions, so that yield losses are easily minimized with vent-gas recovery. The three product streams are stabilized together or separately, as desired, resulting in product streams appropriate for their subsequent use. The two columns are heat integrated to minimize energy requirements. Typical reformer hydrogen is used in both columns without makeup compression. The sulfur reduction achieved will allow the blending of gasoline that meets current and future regulations.
Catalytic distillation essentially eliminates catalyst fouling because the fractionation removes heavy-coke precursors from the catalyst zone before coke can form and foul the catalyst pores. Thus, catalyst life in catalytic distillation is increased significantly beyond typical fixed-bed life. The CDHydro/CDHDS units can operate throughout an FCC turnaround cycle up to six years without requiring a shutdown to regenerate or to replace catalyst. Typical fixed-bed processes will require a mid FCC shutdown to regenerate/replace catalyst, requiring higher capital cost for feed, storage, pumping and additional feed capacity.
Licensor: CDTECH.
