Catalytic reforming process employing a blend of selected hydrocarbon fractions

Claim 1

A CATALYTIC REFORMING PROCESS WHICH COMPRISES FRACTIONATING A FULL BOILING RANGE STRAIGHT RUN NAPHTHA TO RECOVER A FRACTION BOILING FROM ABOUT 140*F. TO ABOUT 210*F. AND A FRACTION BOILING BETWEEN 260*F. AND 420*F., SUBJECTING THE LOWER BOILING FRACTION IN THE PRESENCE OF ADDED HYDROGEN TO THE ACTION OF A REFORMING CATALYST UNDER CONDITIONS SUCH THAT THE NAPHTHENE CONTENT THEREOF WILL BE CONVERTED TO BENZENE AND TOLUENE. RECOVERING A LIQUID REFORMATE, TREATING THE REFORMATE TO RECOVER AN AROMATIC EXTRACT AND A RAFFINATE COMPRISING AT LEAST 80 PERCENT BY VOLUME OF PARAFFINS, BLENDING THE RAFFINATE WITH THE NAPHTHA FRACTION BOILING BETWEEN 260* F. AND 420*F., SUBJECTING THE BLEND TOGETHER WITH ADDED HYDROGEN TO THE ACTION OF A REFORMING CATALYST UNDER REFORMING CONDITIONS OF TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURE, AND RECOVERING A LIQUID PRODUCT HAVING A HIGHER OCTANE NUMBER THAN THE BLEND.