Chemcon 2013 66 th Annual Session of Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers Hosted at Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai 400 019 27-30 December 2013 1 Modeling, Simulation and Optimization of Naphtha reforming process on ASPEN Plus platform Shubhi Vashishtha, Shweta Sharma, Pratibha Pal, Utkarsh Maheshwari Department of Chemical Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Rajasthan-333031, India. vashishtha13@gmail.com, shwetasharma.tech2901@gmail.com, pratibha.mbd@gmail.com, utkarsh@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in Abstract: Naphtha Reforming is an integral part of the petroleum refining industry. It is necessary for obtaining high octane gasoline from naphtha feedstock. This high octane gasoline is obtained by a nominal presence of aromatic in the C1-C4 fractions present as gasoline. There are a number of reactions involved in the reforming process. Some of the reactions are favorable for the gasoline production while others are undesirable. The process of reforming aims to the conversion of low octane component into a high octane component without changing its boiling characteristics. In the present study, the modelling and simulation of a semi regenerative reforming process has been done on the ASPEN Plus platform and the best operating conditions of reactor temperature as 550 °F and the hydrogen to hydrocarbon feed ratio as 0.67 have been optimized for the process on the basis of varying parameters. At these conditions we get the best high octane number gasoline component from naphtha feedstock. These conditions can well be created by combining this endothermic process of reforming with an exothermic process of hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to get optimal heat integration of the process. Keywords: Naphtha; reforming; modeling; simulation; optimization. 1. Introduction: In petroleum refining and petrochemical industries, catalytic naphtha reforming is a very important process for producing high octane gasoline, aromatic feedstock and hydrogen. Naphtha or cracking oil used as a feedstock in Catalytic reforming unit to produce high octane value liquid as main products with hydrogen (H 2 ) and LPG as by- products . A conventional naphtha reforming process consists of 3 or 4 reactors in series and heater before each reactor to reheat the stream into the reaction temperature range, before entering the next reactor. Shakoor has reported that catalytic reforming unit's uses industrial catalysts consisted of Gama Alumina support as an acid function treated with chlorine in order to increase its surface acidity [1]. The major chemical reactions during the catalytic reforming are the following [2]: 1. Dehydrocyclization of paraffins into aromatics. 2. Isomerization of alkylcyclopentanes into cyclohexanes. 3. Dehydrogenation of cyclohexanes into aromatics. 4. Isomerization of linear paraffins into iso-paraffins. 5. Hydrocracking of naphthenes and paraffins and Hydrodealkylation of aromatics; 1.1 Feedstock Naphtha is converted into reformate by the catalytic reforming process. This process involves the conversion of low-octane hydrocarbons in the naphtha into more valuable high-octane gasoline components without changing its boiling point range. Naphtha and reformate are complex mixtures of paraffins, naphthenes, and aromatics in the C5– C12 range [3]. Naphthas from catalytic or thermal cracking also contain olefins. Naphthas of different origin contain small amounts of additional compounds containing elements such as sulfur and nitrogen. These elements affect the performance of the bifunctional noble metal catalyst used in catalytic reforming and must be removed to low levels prior to entering the reformer unit. The composition of hydrocarbons and the concentration of additional elements determine the quality as reforming feedstock or as a gasoline blending component. The major constituent of crude oil or petroleum is a hydrocarbon. And it accounts for up to 97% of the total mass. These are paraffinic, naphthenic, or aromatic structures ranging from light gaseous molecules (C1–C4 alkanes) to heavy waxes or asphaltenic matter. Other than these compounds, organic compounds of sulfur, nitrogen, and oxygen, as well as water, salt, and a number of metal containing constituents such as vanadium, nickel, and sodium are also the constituent of crude oil. Although elemental concentrations of carbon and hydrogen vary only slightly within narrow limits, typically 82–87 wt % and 10– 14 weight % H 2 , the individual concentrations of the