Systems and methods for isomerizing n-butane to form isobutane are disclosed. A segmented reactor system is used to isomerize n-butane. The segmented reactor system comprises a segmented reactor that includes a first catalyst bed and a second catalyst bed separated by a first heat exchanger. The catalyst in the first catalyst bed does not contact the catalyst in the second catalyst bed. During the exothermic process of isomerizing n-butane, the first heat exchanger extracts heat from an intermediate product flowing from the first catalyst bed to the second catalyst bed to improve the conversion rate of n-butane.

Methods of preparing an acidic catalyst are disclosed that include heating a metal halide to produce a vapor phase metal halide, contacting an initial support material with the vapor phase metal halide in a reaction vessel causing a first chemical reaction and producing an intermediate acidic catalyst, contacting the intermediate acidic catalyst with HBr causing a second chemical reaction and producing an acidic catalyst product which is both more acidic than the intermediate acidic catalyst and more acidic than the initial support material.

Methods of preparing an acidic catalyst are disclosed that include heating a metal halide to produce a vapor phase metal halide, contacting an initial support material with the vapor phase metal halide in a reaction vessel causing a first chemical reaction and producing an intermediate acidic catalyst, contacting the intermediate acidic catalyst with HBr causing a second chemical reaction and producing an acidic catalyst product which is both more acidic than the intermediate acidic catalyst and more acidic than the initial support material.

A process increases the concentration of normal paraffins in a feed stream comprising separating a naphtha feed stream into a normal paraffin rich stream and a non-normal paraffin rich stream. A naphtha feed stream may be separated into a normal paraffin stream and a non-normal paraffin stream. An isomerization feed stream may be taken from the non-normal paraffin stream and isomerized over an isomerization catalyst to convert non-normal paraffins to normal paraffins and produce an isomerization effluent stream. The isomerization effluent stream may be separated into a propane stream and a C4+ hydrocarbon stream optionally in a single column. The C4+ hydrocarbon stream may be recycled to the step of separating a naphtha feed stream.

A process increases the concentration of normal paraffins in a feed stream comprising separating a naphtha feed stream into a normal paraffin rich stream and a non-normal paraffin rich stream. A naphtha feed stream may be separated into a normal paraffin stream and a non-normal paraffin stream. An isomerization feed stream may be taken from the non-normal paraffin stream and isomerized over an isomerization catalyst to convert non-normal paraffins to normal paraffins and produce an isomerization effluent stream. The isomerization effluent stream may be separated into a propane stream and a C4+ hydrocarbon stream optionally in a single column. The C4+ hydrocarbon stream may be recycled to the step of separating a naphtha feed stream.

An isomerization method consists of a deisobutanizer column receives feed comprising n-butane. The deisobutanizer column delivers its bottoms a portion to a reboiler and another portion along with hydrogen is routed to a isomerization reactor and the reactor effluent is returned to the column. A stabilizer which is integrated with the column, an overhead stream used as a reflux and bottoms containing an iso-butane-rich stream that is the iso-butane product stream. The column overhead effluent is routed to separator, which splits the hydrocarbons and effluent, where the hydrocarbons are routed to deisobutanizer column and effluent recycled to stabilizer, where the stabilizer separates the reactor effluent into product streams contains an iso-butane product stream, a n-butane product stream, and a lighter hydrocarbon product stream.

An isomerization method consists of a deisobutanizer column receives feed comprising n-butane. The deisobutanizer column delivers its bottoms a portion to a reboiler and another portion along with hydrogen is routed to a isomerization reactor and the reactor effluent is returned to the column. A stabilizer which is integrated with the column, an overhead stream used as a reflux and bottoms containing an iso-butane-rich stream that is the iso-butane product stream. The column overhead effluent is routed to separator, which splits the hydrocarbons and effluent, where the hydrocarbons are routed to deisobutanizer column and effluent recycled to stabilizer, where the stabilizer separates the reactor effluent into product streams contains an iso-butane product stream, a n-butane product stream, and a lighter hydrocarbon product stream.

An isomerization method consists of a deisobutanizer column receives feed comprising n-butane. The deisobutanizer column delivers its bottoms a portion to a reboiler and another portion along with hydrogen is routed to a isomerization reactor and the reactor effluent is returned to the column. A stabilizer which is integrated with the column, an overhead stream used as a reflux and bottoms containing an iso-butane-rich stream that is the iso-butane product stream.

The column overhead effluent is routed to separator, which splits the hydrocarbons and effluent, where the hydrocarbons are routed to deisobutanizer column and effluent recycled to stabilizer, where the stabilizer separates the reactor effluent into product streams contains an iso-butane product stream, a n-butane product stream, and a lighter hydrocarbon product stream.

An isomerization method consists of a deisobutanizer column receives feed comprising n-butane. The deisobutanizer column delivers its bottoms a portion to a reboiler and another portion along with hydrogen is routed to a isomerization reactor and the reactor effluent is returned to the column. A stabilizer which is integrated with the column, an overhead stream used as a reflux and bottoms containing an iso-butane-rich stream that is the iso-butane product stream.

The column overhead effluent is routed to separator, which splits the hydrocarbons and effluent, where the hydrocarbons are routed to deisobutanizer column and effluent recycled to stabilizer, where the stabilizer separates the reactor effluent into product streams contains an iso-butane product stream, a n-butane product stream, and a lighter hydrocarbon product stream.

A hydrogenolysis bimetallic supported catalyst comprising a first metal, a second metal, and a zeolitic support; wherein the first metal and the second metal are different; and wherein the first metal and the second metal can each independently be selected from the group consisting of iridium (Ir), platinum (Pt), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), palladium (Pd), molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co).