Hydroisomerization of different refinery naphtha streams by using a beta zeolite catalyst

In this work, the evaluation of a catalyst based on beta zeolite agglomerated with bentonite in the hydroisomerization of three feeds obtained by distillation of refinery naphtha streams provided by the petroleum company REPSOL-YPF was considered. These refinery naphthas were different in composition, being constituted mostly by different proportions of paraffin, aromatic and naphthenic compounds. The highest overall paraffin conversion value was obtained with that naphtha with the highest content in linear paraffins. As the classical hydroisomerization mechanism predicts, linear alkanes were transformed into branched isomers. Thus, the relation between branched isomers and linear paraffins (iC6/nC6, iC7/nC7 and iC8/nC8) was higher in the products than in the feed. The presence of the aromatic compounds (benzene and toluene) was detected in the three feeds. In all cases, a complete benzene conversion, leading to naphthenic compounds formation, was reached. Long-term tests showed that, regardless of the type of naphtha fed to the reactor, the research octane number of the products remained practically constant.