GB1391004A - Lpg and high-purity hydrogen recovery process - Google Patents

Abstract

1391004 Reforming naphtha UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS CO 9 June 1972 [11 June 1971 (2)] 26935/72 Heading C5E The product of a process (a) (particularly reforming), in which a normally liquid hydrocarbon (1) is converted in the presence of hydrogen (2) to yield a mixture (5) of normally liquid hydrocarbons, normally gaseous hydrocarbons and hydrogen, is worked up by (b) separating in a low pressure zone (6) to provide a gaseous stream (8) of hydrogen contaminated by hydrocarbons and a liquid stream (7) comprising normally liquid and normally gaseous hydrocarbons, (c) compressing the gaseous stream (at 9) with at least a portion (11) of the liquid hydrocarbon feed and separating this mixture in a high-pressure zone (15) to provide a gas stream (16) enriched in hydrogen and a stream of liquid feed (18) containing normally gaseous hydrocarbons, (d) separating (in a stripper 19) at least a portion of the liquid from step (c) into a stream (20) of normally gaseous hydrocarbons and a stream (21) of stripped liquid feed and passing the stripped liquid to the conversion zone to provide at least a portion of the liquid feed thereto, and (e) separating from the liquid product (7) of step (b) a normally liquid hydrocarbon product (33) and a normally gaseous hydrocarbon product (26). As shown, the last separator is a debutanizer, and the gaseous stream 20 may be mixed with stream 7 before it enters the debutanizer, or be by-passed round the debutanizer by line 20a. In either case the gaseous stream may be cooled at 27 to condense C 3 and C 4 hydrocarbons. Other heat-exchangers are shown at 13, 22, 24 and 34. The net hydrogen make is bled off at 17, an off-gas comprising hydrogen, methane and ethane is taken off at 30, LPG at 31 and stabilized gasoline at 33.