Effect of compressibility factor on the hydrodynamics of naphtha catalytic-reforming reactors

Abstract

A detailed steady-state catalytic-reforming unit (CRU) reactor process model is simulated in this work, and for the first time, different compressibility Z factor correlations have been applied using gPROMS software. The CRU has been modeled and simulated with the assumption that the gas phase behaves like an ideal gas. This is assumed for the four reactors in series and for different conditions of hydrogen-hydrocarbon ratio (HHR), operating temperature, and pressure. The results show that the Z factor varies at every point along the height of the reactors depending on reaction operating pressure, temperature, and HHR ratio. It also shows that the magnitude of deviation from ideal gas behaviour can be measured over the reactor height. The Z factor correlation of Mahmoud (J Energy Resour Technol Trans ASME 136:012903, 2014) is found to be suitable for predicting the Z factor distribution in the reactors. Keywords Catalytic reforming unit • Hydrogen-Hydrocarbon ratio • Compressibility factor • Naphtha • Fluid bed reactor Abbreviations a, b, c Parameters from hydrogen reaction rate equation P Paraffins N Naphthenes A Aromatics A, B, C, D Constants for calculating heat capacities Aa, Bb, Cc, Dd, Ee Constants for calculating research octane number (RON) A 10 Aromatics having ten atoms of carbon N 10 Naphthenes having ten atoms of carbon P 10 Paraffins having ten atoms of carbon Cp Heat capacity (kJ/kmol k) d p Particle diameter (m) E A Activation energy (kJ/kmol)