Research progress in conversion to light aromatics and separation of heavy aromatics

Abstract With the construction and expansion of a large number of aromatics complexes, ethylene plants, and the development of the modern coal chemical industry, the sources of heavy aromatics have become more diversified, and the by-products of heavy aromatics have become more and more effective. While this resource will greatly promote the development of the chemical industry, it is of great significance in promoting the country’s economic and energy development. This article mainly summarizes the technology of lightening heavy aromatics and separation of heavy aromatics in recent years, expounds the utilization status of petroleum-based and coal-based heavy aromatics. And focusing on several mature heavy aromatics lightening and separation processes, For example, lightening processes such as dealkylation, selective hydrogenation, ring opening, and transalkylation, extractive distillation, alkylation reaction rectification, adsorption separation of heavy aromatics separation processes. Although both heavy aromatics separation and lightening processes can improve the utilization and the added value of heavy aromatics resources, there are many problems, such as low conversion rate, more by-products, and low catalyst efficiency in the lightening process. And the heavy aromatics separation process has problems such as high energy consumption for separation, large equipment investment, difficult selection of extractive distillation solvents, and low yield of crystallization separation. Therefore, the two kind of reuse methods for heavy aromatics need to be improved and innovated in the process. Therefore, at the end of this article, a prospect is given to the lightening and separation process of heavy aromatics resources, which provides a reference for in-depth research on the reuse of heavy aromatics resources.

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	YUAN Guomin
	CONG Haifeng
	LI Xingang

Keywords： heavy aromatics lightening dealkylation aromatic purification 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene 1,2,4-trimethylbenze

Received 2021-04-06;

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YUAN Guomin, CONG Haifeng, LI Xingang.Research progress in conversion to light aromatics and separation of heavy aromatics[J] Chemcial Industry and Engineering, 2022,V39(3): 60-72

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