The Development of Process and Catalysts for Reforming of Gasoline Fractions: State of the Art and Prospects

The article summarizes the results of fundamental and applied research on the development of scientific principles for the design of technologies for the production and operation of the naphtha-reforming catalysts made in the laboratory of the motor fuels synthesis over the past 20 years. The main result is the determination of an important role of the nonmetallic states of platinum (Pt-sigma) in adsorption and catalysis. The main principles of the development of highly efficient catalysts and technologies for their manufacture are formulated. Data on the industrial applications of new reforming catalysts at 14 commercial reforming plants under conditions of reforming gasoline production with research octane numbers of 98-100 are given. The applicability of new catalysts to the combined conversion of C-3-C-4 and C5+ alkane mixtures into high-octane motor fuel components is demonstrated. The results of the development of three modifications of a new technology for the manufacture of environmentally safe high-octane gasoline with the selectivity of formation of the target product close to 100% are presented.