Reaction Modeling of Light Naphtha Aromatization(LNA) Process.

Abstract

A kinetic reaction model has been developed for the light naphtha aromatization (LNA) process which employs zinc aluminosilicate catalyst. In order to develop the model, which represents the key reactions involved in the process, it is assumed that the catalyst activity is consistent, regardless of time or location in the reactor. The kinetic model has been validated, using reaction rate coefficients fitted to match laboratory reactor data. The kinetic model has been used with the process simulator to investigate reactor design and the optimal catalyst loading pattern for a commercial-scale unit consisting of three units of reactors with feed preheaters connected in series. The studies on catalyst loading were conducted for a total contact time of 1.429 h, with the feed to the reactor train, which is preheated to 520°C at each reactor inlet under the pressure of 3 kg/cm 2 G. The optimal catalyst loading pattern, in terms of percentage of total catalyst volume into three reactors, was determined to minimize deviations from the results of isothermal reactor