Naphtha Normal Paraffin Separation Using a Dividing Wall Column and Simulated Moving Adsorption Bed

Improving the separation of normal paraffin from naphtha can increase ethylene yield from naphtha crackers.  This is achieved by increasing the concentration of normal paraffin (n-paraffin) in the naphtha cracker feedstock.  The n-paraffin depleted naphtha byproduct can then, in turn, be fed to a reforming unit to increase the octane value of the refiner's gasoline pool. This presentation will, first, discuss the application of Dividing Wall Column design using high capacity trays to decrease naphtha prefractionation utility consumption and reduce a two column system to a single column without sacrificing product purity and recovery.  Second, it will discuss how a simulated moving adsorption bed can be used to separate prefractionated naphtha normal and non-normal paraffins to increase the respective naphtha cracker and reforming unit performance.