BenzOUT™ Gasoline Benzene
Reduction Technology
BenzOUT is a reformate alkylation process and catalyst that converts benzene into high octane alkylate by reacting benzene-rich streams with light olefins such as ethylene or propylene in stranded olefin streams. Developed by ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company and licensed through Badger Licensing LLC, this patented technology avoids the octane loss and hydrogen consumption associated with alternative options of benzene saturation.
Based on Badger's vast experience in ethylbenzene and cumene technology widely applied in the chemical industry, BenzOUT provides the following advantages:
- Reduction of benzene content in the gasoline pool to meet new benzene regulations
- 2-5 numbers of (R+M)/2 increase depending on the feed composition
- Increased flexibility in reformer feed for increased hydrogen production
- Upgrading light olefins and benzene/toluene to high octane gasoline blendstock
- Avoidance of the significant hydrogen consumption and octane loss of alternative benzene saturation options
- Debottlenecking fuel gas constraints by the removal of olefins from fuel gas system
Benefits
Reformate alkylation reduces benzene by reacting a benzene concentrate stream with a light olefin containing stream such as LPG or fluid catalytic cracking off-gas stream over a proprietary catalyst. BenzOUT can process either a benzene heart-cut from a stabilizer column or a reformate splitter overhead stream.
In addition, the technology:
- Uses a fixed bed reactor
- Has flexibility to allow existing polygas or reformer reactors to be retrofitted for this application
- Is based on a solid acid catalyst with long cycle lengths
- Has high catalyst activity / increased capacity
- Is a completely regenerable catalyst