ABSTRACT
Catalytic reforming technologies and processes have been the subject of numerous discussions and reviews over the past 50 years.[1-8] Since the pioneering work of Vladimir Haensel and UOP[9] on platinum on alumina catalyst and platforming in the 1940s, catalytic reforming technology has evolved from semiregenerative, fixed-bed processes to the more energy efficient, highly reliable, low operating cost, continuous catalyst reforming units.[10] Typical process objectives are the upgrading of low octane naphthas to high octane gasoline blending components, production of aromatics and chemical feedstock, and production of hydrogen. Over the past five decades, numerous advancements have been made with respect to key reforming processes and in the development of high-performance catalysts. In the current environment of low-sulfur gasoline and ultralow-sulfur diesel regulations for reducing air pollutants,[11] catalytic reformers and in particular, continuous reformers have become indispensable as support to refiners’ plans for installation of enhanced processes for hydrotreating catalytic cracker feed, distillates, and catalytic cracker gasoline. Refiners will be relying on their catalytic reformers for reliable hydrogen supply for the various desulfurization processes required to achieve near-zero-sulfur gasoline and ultralow-sulfur diesel.
