From which unit does the feed to the PSA originate?

The correct source of the feed to the Pressure Swing Adsorption (PSA) unit is the reformer. In a refinery, the reformer plays a crucial role in converting low-octane naphtha into high-octane gasoline components through a process that involves dehydrogenation, isomerization, and hydride transfer reactions.

The feed that comes from the reformation process is rich in hydrogen and other light hydrocarbons, which are essential for the PSA unit’s operation. The PSA serves primarily to separate hydrogen from other gases in the reformate stream, making the purity of hydrogen produced from the reformer feed suitable for use in various downstream processes, such as hydrotreating or hydrocracking. This is particularly important because hydrogen is a key reactant in many refining processes, including reforming and hydrocracking.

Other units like the fluid catalytic cracking unit, vacuum distillation unit, and hydrocracking unit primarily focus on producing various hydrocarbon products or intermediate feeds, but they are not the primary sources of hydrogen-rich feed for PSA units. Instead, these units may produce feeds that contain heavier, less desirable fractions that are not suitable for the PSA’s function. Hence, the feed for the PSA unit predominantly originates