TWO-STAGE REFORMING PROCESS CONFIGURED FOR INCREASED FEED RATE TO MANUFACTURE REFORMATE

Described herein is a two-stage reforming process using a unique configuration which allows the reforming unit to operate at a higher naphtha feed rate as compared to conventional reforming configurations. In the unique reforming process described herein, a naphtha feedstock undergoes a distillation step prior to the first reforming stage. The distillation step separates the naphtha feedstock into a top light a C7 stream, which typically accounts for between 5 and 20 percent of the overall feedstock, and a C8+ stream. The C8+ stream undergoes reforming in a first stage consisting of at least one reactor containing conventional metallic reforming catalyst, under conditions sufficient to convert the C8+ stream into a first intermediate reformate. The C7 stream, bypasses the first stage and is combined with the intermediate reformate, and reformed in the second stage, at lower pressure than in the first stage, over a reforming catalyst containing a medium pore zeolite.