High severity process for the production of aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract From the Canadian patent

Disclosed is a process for the production of highpurity C6 to C8 aromatic hydrocarbons in high yield from a naphtha feed fraction by high-severity catalytic reforming using a halogen promoted reforming catalyst and fractional, distillation. The process comprises reforming the naphtha feed under reforming conditions of high severity in a plurality of sequentially arranged reaction zones in which the concentration of the halogen component of the reforming catalyst is adjusted to provide a minimal hydrocracking activity relative to the other reforming reactions to the catalyst in the first reaction zones, and an enhanced hydrocracking activity to the catalyst in the last reaction zones.