Patent ID: 7915471

Claim:
A process for producing para-xylene from a feed containing xylenes, ethylbenzene and C9+ hydrocarbons, comprising at least the following steps: a step for adsorption comprising contacting said feed with an adsorbent in a unit (LM 6 ) operating as a simulated moving bed from which at least three effluents are produced: an extract ( 7 ) essentially constituted by para-xylene and desorbant; an intermediate fraction, termed the intermediate raffinate, which essentially contains ethylbenzene, and a second fraction, termed the 2-raffinate, which essentially contains a mixture of meta- and ortho-xylene; a step for isomerization of C8 aromatics, in a catalytic unit (IS 19 ) operating in the vapour phase and converting ethylbenzene, to treat the intermediate raffinate; a step for isomerization of C8 aromatics in a catalytic unit (IS 20 ) operating in the liquid phase or in the vapour phase, to treat the 2-raffinate.