Study of industrial naphtha catalytic reforming reactions via modelling and simulation

Abstract

Steady state and dynamic modelling and simulation of catalytic reforming unit of Kaduna Refining & Petrochemical Company, NNPC (Nigeria) was carried to find out the behaviour of the reactions under both steady and unsteady state conditions. The basic model together with kinetic and thermodynamic parameters and properties were taken from the literature but is developed in gPROMS (an equation oriented modelling software) model building platform for the first time rather than in MATLAB or other modelling platform used by other researchers in the past. The simulation was performed using gPROMS and the predictions were validated against those available in the literature. The validated model was then used to monitor the behaviour of the temperature, concentrations of parafins, naphthenes and aromatics with respect to both time and height of the reactor of the industrial refinery of Nigeria. Hydrogen yield, Research octane number (RON) and temperature profiles are also reported. The components behave similarly in terms of reactions in the reactors but the time to attain quasi-steady state is different. The results are in good agreement with the industrial plant data.