Patent ID: 6165350
Filing Date: 2000-12-26
Classification: C10G

Abstract:
A catalytic reforming process, comprising the following steps:(a) catalytically reforming a hydrocarbon feedstock in a reactor;(b) withdrawing an effluent stream comprising hydrogen and hydrocarbons from the reactor;(c) separating a raw reformate liquid phase and a vapor phase, comprising hydrogen and light hydrocarbons, including a C.sub.5.sup.+ hidrocarbon from the effluent stream;(d) passing at least a portion of the vapor phase as a feed stream across the feed side of a polymeric membrane having a feed side and permeate side, and being selective for the light hydrocarbon over hydrogen;(e) withdrawing from the permeate side a permeate stream enriched in the light hydrocarbon compared with the vapor phase;(f) withdrawing from the feed side a residue stream enriched in hydrogen compared with the vapor phase;(g) recirculating at least a portion of the residue stream to the reactor.