Process for improving aromaticity of heavy aromatic hydrocarbons

Abstract

A process for producing paraffin extracted clarified slurry oil (raffinate) with improved aromaticity from the feed stock such as clarified slurry oil (CSO) is provided. The obtained paraffin extracted clarified slurry oil with improved aromaticity is suitable for a variety of industrial applications. For example, it can be used as a valuable feedstock for producing carbon black.

1 . A process for producing raffinate with improved aromaticity; said process comprising the following steps:
 a. mixing raffinate feedstock having a BMCI ranging between 110 and 130 with a solvent in an apparatus to obtain an oil-solvent mixture;   b. heating the oil-solvent mixture at a temperature ranging between 50 and 200° C. to obtain a heated oil-solvent mixture;   c. vigorously agitating the heated oil-solvent mixture for a time period ranging between 0.5 and 2 hours to obtain an oil-solvent dispersion;   d. allowing the dispersion to separate into paraffin rich phase and raffinate phase;   e. separating the raffinate phase from the paraffin rich phase to obtain raffinate with aromatics content of at least 90 wt % and a BMCI of at least 132.   
     
     
         2 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprises heating the separated paraffin rich phase at a temperature ranging between 40 and 80° C. to remove solvent. 
     
     
         3 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is at least one selected from the group consisting of C 2  to C 7  hydrocarbons and C 3  to C 7  ketones. 
     
     
         4 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the solvent is at least one selected from the group consisting of C 2  to C 7  alkanes, C 2  to C 7  alkenes and C 3  to C 7  ketones. 
     
     
         5 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the proportion of the solvent to oil ranges between 4:1 and 10:1. 
     
     
         6 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the heating is carried out at a pressure ranging between 10 and 50 kg/cm 2 . 
     
     
         7 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the agitation of heated oil-solvent mixture is carried out at a temperature ranging between 50 and 200° C. and at a pressure ranging between 10 and 50 kg/cm 2 . 
     
     
         8 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the agitation of heated oil-solvent mixture is carried out at a speed ranging between 500 and 3000 rpm. 
     
     
         9 . The process as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the step c is carried out in a static mixer. 
     
     
         10 . Raffinate with aromatics content of at least 90 wt % and having a BMCI of at least 132, obtained by the process as claimed in  claim 1 .