Modeling and simulation of four catalytic reactors in series for naphtha reforming

In this work the modeling and simulation of catalytic naphtha reforming process is presented. The process model uses an extended version of the kinetic model reported by Krane et al. (Krane, H. G.; Groh, A. B.; Shulman, B. D.; Sinfeit, J. H. Proceedings of the Fifth World Petroleum Congress, 1959; pp 39-51). The new kinetic model utilizes lumped representation of the reactions that take place. These groups range from one to eleven carbon atoms for paraffins (PI-PII), and from six to eleven atoms of carbon for naphthenes (N-6-N-11) and aromatics (A(6)-A(11)) Other reactions that this kinetic model considers are the cyclohexane formation via methylcyclopentane isomerization (MCP <----> N-6) and paraffins isomerization (nP(i) <----> iP(i)). The process model is used to predict temperature and reformate composition profiles in a commercial reforming unit consisting of a series of four catalytic reactors. The agreement between predicted and commercially reported results is very good.