| abstract |
A process for the production and recovery of benzene from pyrolysis naphtha produced by high-temperature cracking of ethane, propane, naphtha or gas oil to produce ethylene. The process comprises the steps of hydrogenating a selected cut of pyrolysis naphtha to saturate olefins, reforming the hydrocarbon product from the hydrogenation step to convert benzene precursors to aromatic compounds and partially crack the nonaromatic hydrocarbons present and thereafter hydrodealkylating the hydrocarbon product from the reforming step to convert the alkyl aromatics to benzene and further crack nonaromatic compounds including those boiling at about the benzene boiling point, so that benzene may then be separated from the hydrodealkylation effluent by conventional distillation. |