Abstract A substantially sulfur-free gasoline fraction is catalytically reformed by contacting it and a substantially sulfur-free hydrogen stream with a substantially sulfur-free, bimetallic catalyst comprising a combination of a platinum group component, a germanium component and a halogen component with a porous carrier material, at reforming conditions. Key features of the disclosed process are: (1) use of substantially sulfur-free charge stock and hydrogen stream; (2) maintenance of substantially all of the platinum group component of the bimetallic catalyst in the elemental state; (3) presence of substantially all of the germanium component of the bimetallic catalyst in an oxidation state above that of the elemental metal, and (4) maintenance of the bimetallic catalyst in a substantially sulfur-free state during the processing period.
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the platinum group component of the catalyst is platinum metal.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the germanium component of the catalyst is germanium oxide.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the halogen component of the catalyst is chlorine or a compound of chlorine.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the porous carrier material is a refractory inorganic oxide.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
16 words
A process as defined in claim 5 wherein said refractory inorganic oxide is gamma- or eta-alumina.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
27 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the hydrogen stream is obtained autogenously and the gasoline fraction contains less than about 10 wt. ppm of sulfur.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
35 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the total amount of sulfur entering the reforming zone is continuously maintained at a value corresponding to less than about 10 wt. ppm of the gasoline fraction.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
30 words
A process as defined in claim 1 wherein the total amount of water entering the reforming process corresponds to about 10 to about 50 wt. ppm of the gasoline fraction.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
152 words
In the process for catalytically reforming a sulfur-containing gasoline charge stock wherein the charge stock and autogenous hydrogen are contacted, at reforming conditions, with a catalyst comprising a combination of a platinum group component, a germanium component and a halogen component with a porous carrier material, wherein substantially all of said platinum group component is present in the catalyst as the elemental metal and substantially all of said germanium component is present in the catalyst in an oxidation state above that of the elemental metal, and wherein said components are present in the catalyst in amounts sufficient to result in the catalyst containing, on an elemental basis, about 0.01 to 2 wt. percent platinum group metal, about 0.1 to about 5 wt. percent germanium and about 0.5 to about 3.5 wt. percent halogen, the improvement which comprises pretreating the gasoline charge stock to remove substantially all sulfurous, nitrogenous and water-yielding contaminants therefrom.