Patent ID: 7291258
Filing Date: 2007-11-06
Classification: C10G,Y10S

Abstract:
1. In a catalytic distillation hydrodesulfurization process comprising: (a) feeding a naphtha boiling range hydrocarbon stream containing organic sulfur compounds and hydrogen to a distillation column reactor; (b) concurrently in said distillation column reactor (c) recovering a portion of said light boiling range naphtha wherein said light boiling range naphtha contains recombinant mercaptans; (d) removing said heavier boiling range naphtha from said distillation column reactor; and (e) passing said portion of said light boiling range naphtha to a countercurrent flow reactor for contact with hydrogen in fixed bed hydrodesulfurization catalyst to reduce the recombinant mercaptans therein; wherein the improvement comprises fractionating said portion of light boiling range naphtha to remove a lighter fraction thereof, said lighter fraction having a boiling range between its Initial Point and End Point of up to about 120° F. and being substantially free of mercaptans, from said countercurrent flow reactor before contact of said lighter fraction with said fixed bed catalyst.