5. Industrial implementation
5.1 Main types of installation
Until 1971, two types of catalytic reformer were distinguished:
semi-regenerative, with in situ treatment of the catalyst during periodic shutdowns every six months to a year;
other cyclic regenerative processes, with the use of an additional reactor capable of successively replacing each of the other reactors during regenerations, thus ensuring uninterrupted production (swing reactor).
With the development of multi-metal catalyst systems has come a new generation of so-called regenerative processes. They operate by continuously drawing off and regenerating the catalyst, which is then recycled to the reactors. This technology can be applied...
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Industrial implementation
Average reforming performance
Bibliography
Economic data
In 2000, worldwide catalytic reforming capacity stood at 530 Mt/year, corresponding to 660 plants in operation worldwide.
In 2000, worldwide production capacity for aromatic hydrocarbons was 40 Mt/year for benzene, 21 Mt/year for toluene and 34 Mt/year for xylenes, with catalytic reforming and steam cracking of petroleum cuts being the two main production routes. At that date, reforming accounted...
Catalyst manufacturers
The global market for catalytic reforming catalysts in 2000 is estimated at around 5,000 t.
As a result of mergers and acquisitions and withdrawals, there are now around 5 catalyst manufacturers, marketing some 40 different products.
The main ones are :
UOP (Union Oil Products)
Procatalysis
...
User industries
There are around 660 catalytic reforming plants in 770 refineries worldwide. In short, all major refineries have a reforming unit, and the industrialists are therefore all types of refiner, and in particular :
the major groups: Exxon-Mobil, Shell, BP, Chevron-Texaco and TotalFinaElf;
national companies: Pemex, Saudi Aramco, Sonatrach... ;...
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