Removal of feed treatment units in aromatics complex designs

Abstract

Processes and apparatuses for producing para-xylenes are provided. The processes comprises providing a reformate stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons to a reformate splitter to provide a reformate bottoms stream and a reformate overhead stream. A portion of the reformate bottoms stream is passed to a para-xylene separation unit for separating para-xylene, wherein the portion of the reformate bottoms stream is passed to the para-xylene separation unit without an intermediate step for removal of olefins.

1 . A process for the production of para-xylene, wherein the process comprises:
 a) providing a reformate stream comprising aromatic hydrocarbons to a reformate splitter to provide a reformate bottoms stream comprising C 7+  aromatic hydrocarbons and a reformate overhead stream comprising C 7−  aromatic hydrocarbons; and   b) passing a portion of the reformate bottoms stream to a para-xylene separation unit for separating para-xylene, wherein said portion is contacted with an adsorbent under adsorption conditions to provide a xylene extract stream comprising para-xylene and a raffinate product stream,   wherein the portion of the reformate bottoms stream is passed to the para-xylene separation unit without an intermediate step for removal of olefins.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising passing the reformate bottoms stream to an aromatics rerun column without an intermediate step for removal of olefins. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1  further comprising passing the reformate bottoms stream to an aromatics stripper column without an intermediate step for removal of olefins. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the intermediate step comprises one of a clay treater and an olefin reduction process (ORP) unit. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the adsorbent is a binderless adsorbent comprising zeolite X having an average crystallite size of less than 1.8 microns. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 5 , wherein the adsorbent has at least 95% of its ion-exchangeable sites exchanged with barium or a combination of barium and potassium.