A typical Naphtha Hydrotreating Unit processing a straight run naphtha for

Platforming Unit feed will have a reactor section and a stripper section. In
addition,
some units have a prefractionation section upstream of the reactor section. A
naphtha splitter may also be included, downstream of the stripper section, for
units
that do not process straight run material. A typical Naphtha Hydrotreating Unit
with
recycle gas is depicted in Figure IV-1, and a once-through hydrogen unit is
depicted
in Figure !V-2.

A PREFRACTIONATION SECTION

In some specia! applications, it is desirable to produce a narrow boiling range

naphtha cut for feed to the Platforming Unit. An example of this would be an
operation aimed at making aromatics, where the end point of the feed to the
Platforming Unit is limited to about 160°C (325°F) to concentrate aromatic
precursors in the feed. A full boiling range naphtha cut from the crude unit could
be
processed through a prefractionation section to accomplish this task.

The prefractionation section typically consists of two fractionation columns in

series.
The first column is the prefractionator and the second column is the rerun.
Usually,
the feed to the prefractionator will be heat exchanged with rerun column bottoms,
and a steam heater can be used to provide the remaining heat that is required. The
overhead of the second (rerun) column becomes the heartcut for processing in the
reactor section of the hydrotreater. The heartcut boiling range is controlled by
the
amount of light naphtha taken overhead in the prefractionation column and by the
amount of heartcut taken overhead in the rerun column. The initial boiling point
(IBP) of the heartcut is adjusted in the prefractionator and the fina! boiling
point is
adjusted in the rerun column.

In the prefractionator, the overhead temperature controller directly sets the

amount
of overhead liquid product, light naphtha, by controlling net overhead liquid
contro!
valve. Increasing this overhead temperature will increase quantity of the overhead
product and the increase the endpoint of the overhead product. This in turn
controls
the initial boiling point of the heartcut. For example, if a 38-204°C (100-400°F)
boiling range naphtha is charged to a prefractionation section, the light naphtha
is