Investigation of energy and feedstock saving production of gasoline blending components free of benzene

In the production of environmentally friendly and human biologically favorable blending components of engine gasolines isoparaffin fractions having low carbon number (C5–C6) are indispensable. The objective of the research work was to select a catalyst that is applicable for the isomerization of benzene-containing n-hexane fractions at low temperature (< 200 °C). n-Hexane isomerizing and benzene saturating ability of a commercial Pt/Al2O3 catalyst – on which light paraffins can only be isomerized at higher temperatures (> 360 °C) – and of Pt/Al2O3/Cl catalysts (5–10% chlorine) – obtained from the previously mentioned catalyst by special pre-treating, chlorination and expedient post-treating – was investigated. n-Hexane fractions of various benzene content (0–4.6%) were used as feeds. The use of chlorinated catalyst (110–190 °C reaction temperature) resulted in higher yield (by 3–7%) and increased octane number (by 2–4 units) of the practically benzene-free (< 0.01%) products compared to those produced over the presently used commercial catalysts active at medium temperatures (230–270 °C). Additionally, the new process contributes to energy-economical operation.