AM-93-57 AROMATICS REDUCTION AND CETANE IMPROVEMENT OF DIESEL FUELS

Description:

Cetane improvement is related to the saturation of aromatics. Two different routes can be distinguished to achieve this, viz. a single-stage route which combines severe hydrotreating with hydrogenation with a single catalyst, and a dual-stage process in which these two steps are carried out in separate reactors with different catalysts, a hydrotreating step followed by a hydrogenation step. In the latter process, the hydrogenation step is effected by the use of highly active noble metals catalysts. Both routes are discussed and examples are given of their applications.