Simulation of Benzene Production through Hydrodealkylation of Toluene in order to Optimize the Reaction Conversion and Distillate to Feed Ratio

Benzene is used mainly as an intermediate to make other chemicals. About four fifth of all benzene is consumed in the production of three chemicals, ethylbenzene, cumene, and cyclohexane. Benzene is produced through different methods. In this investigation, utilizing Aspen Plus 2006® software a benzene production plant through hydrodealkylation process was simulated and run based on the real data obtained from a benzene production plant operating in the United States. Using these data, the flow sheet was drawn in Aspen Plus 2006® and then the simulation was run with taking a simplification assumption. In order to achieve the realistic case, the reaction unit was assumed as two identical stoichiometric reactors with recycle hydrogen in between. The reactor temperature was controlled by specifying the amount of hydrogen recycle. Then after, manipulating three different parameters like temperature of reactor, the optimum reaction conversion was attained to achieve the highest value for reaction conversion in the reaction unit. At the other part of the work, the distillate to feed ratio was optimized to meet both necessities i.e. highest purity of benzene in product stream and lower benzene waste in fuel gas stream. These optimizations were fulfilled via using various analysis tools of Aspen Plus 2006® software after a comprehensive study on the different aspects of the plant

کلیدواژه ها:

Benzene ، toluene hydrodealkylation ، reaction ، conversion ، optimization ، distillate