Reformation feed

I remember that the final boiling point of the reformed feed was around 160°C, while the final boiling point of the reformed oil obtained was around 180°C.

Reformate feed generally does not include C5 and higher hydrocarbons; n-hexane has a boiling point of 68.7°C, 2-methylpentane has a boiling point of 60.3°C, and methylcyclopentane has a boiling point of 71.8°C. Therefore, the initial boiling point of reforming feed materials is usually between 60 and 70°C. There are two considerations regarding the control of the final boiling point: first, as the final boiling point increases, the rate of carbon deposition rises; when it exceeds 175°C, the rate of carbon deposition increases significantly. Secondly, the final boiling point of the reformed product is higher than that of the feedstock, generally increasing by 20~30°C. According to China’s gasoline standards, the final boiling point of gasoline is 205°C; therefore, the final boiling point of the reforming feedstock used for gasoline production must be no higher than 180°C.

Are there also considerations regarding octane rating?

Reformate feed is a prerequisite for ensuring the octane number of the product; when negotiating with process suppliers and catalyst providers, details regarding the reformate feed are provided to clarify the composition of the lean and rich streams. Therefore, if the boiling range of the feed components exceeds 180 or is too low, it can indeed alter the octane rating of the product. However, changes in the octane number of a product are not necessarily due solely to changes in the components of the raw materials