Integrated catalytic cracking gasoline and light cycle oil hydroprocessing to maximize p-xylene production

Abstract

A process for maximizing p-xylene production begins by producing a naphtha fraction and a light cycle oil fraction from a fluid catalytic cracking zone. The gasoline and light cycle oil fractions are combined and hydrotreated to produce a hydrotreated product. Fractionation of the hydrotreated product in a fractionation zone makes a light ends cut, a naphtha cut, a hydrocracker feed and an unconverted oil fraction. The hydrocracker feed is sent to a hydrocracking zone to make a hydrocracker product, which is then recycled back to the fractionation zone, feeding the hydrocracker product above an outlet for the hydrocracker feed, but below an outlet for the naphtha cut. The naphtha cut goes to a dehydrogenation zone where hydrogen is removed to make aromatics from naphthenes to make a dehydrogenated naphtha. The dehydrogenated naphtha is fed to an aromatics recovery unit to recover p-xylene and other aromatics.