A method for operating a continuous catalytic reformer unit may comprise passing a hydrocarbon reactant stream to a continuous catalytic reformer unit to form one or more product effluent streams, the continuous catalytic reformer unit comprising at least one stream pre-heater, at least one catalytic reactor, and at least one separation unit; implementing a hydrocarbon reformer process control system comprising a hydrocarbon reformer variable data memory comprising processor-executable instructions, a hydrocarbon reformer output translation module, and one or more predictive hydrocarbon reformer modeling processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the process control system to: receive one or more signals indicative of one or more present state variables from one or more state variable actuator hardwares, wherein the present state variables are process variables that cannot be directly set in the continuous catalytic reformer unit; and receive one or more signals indicative of one or more present control variables of the continuous catalytic reformer unit from one or more control variable actuator hardwares, wherein the present control variables are process variables that can be directly set in the continuous catalytic reformer unit; and generate, by utilizing a machine learned model, an improved control variable that increases a selected performance variable based on the inputs of one or both of one or more present state variables or one or more present control variables, wherein the improved control variable wherein the machine learned model is trained utilizing inputs of at least historic state variable data, historic control variable data, and historic performance variable data; and adjusting one or more present control variables of the continuous catalytic reformer unit based on the improved control variable determined by the machine learned model.

A method for operating a continuous catalytic reformer unit may comprise passing a hydrocarbon reactant stream to a continuous catalytic reformer unit to form one or more product effluent streams, the continuous catalytic reformer unit comprising at least one stream pre-heater, at least one catalytic reactor, and at least one separation unit; implementing a hydrocarbon reformer process control system comprising a hydrocarbon reformer variable data memory comprising processor-executable instructions, a hydrocarbon reformer output translation module, and one or more predictive hydrocarbon reformer modeling processors configured to execute the processor-executable instructions and cause the process control system to: receive one or more signals indicative of one or more present state variables from one or more state variable actuator hardwares, wherein the present state variables are process variables that cannot be directly set in the continuous catalytic reformer unit; and receive one or more signals indicative of one or more present control variables of the continuous catalytic reformer unit from one or more control variable actuator hardwares, wherein the present control variables are process variables that can be directly set in the continuous catalytic reformer unit; and generate, by utilizing a machine learned model, an improved control variable that increases a selected performance variable based on the inputs of one or both of one or more present state variables or one or more present control variables, wherein the improved control variable wherein the machine learned model is trained utilizing inputs of at least historic state variable data, historic control variable data, and historic performance variable data; and adjusting one or more present control variables of the continuous catalytic reformer unit based on the improved control variable determined by the machine learned model.

A process for heating a feed stream to an isomerization zone by passing the feed stream though heat exchangers and heating the feeds stream with reactor effluent from the isomerization zone. The effluent from the last reactor is passed to a stabilization column and then a separation column, preferably without heating the feed stream. The separation column may also be heated with effluent from a reactor in the isomerization zone.

A process for heating a feed stream to an isomerization zone by passing the feed stream though heat exchangers and heating the feeds stream with reactor effluent from the isomerization zone. The effluent from the last reactor is passed to a stabilization column and then a separation column, preferably without heating the feed stream. The separation column may also be heated with effluent from a reactor in the isomerization zone.

Processes for catalytic reforming in which a cracking inhibitor, such as an olefin, or a light olefin, is used to inhibit thermal cracking of larger hydrocarbons in non-reactive zones. The cracking inhibitor may be added at various positions through the processes, such as in the recycle gas stream, before a heater, before a stream is passed into a reforming zone, after an effluent stream is recovered from a reforming zone. A molar ratio of cracking inhibitor to hydrocarbons in stream may be between 0.01 and 0.2.

A process for separating naphtha feed stream and recovering heat from at least one stream from a column by heating other columns. Preferably, both an overhead stream and a bottom stream from a first column heat a second column and a third column. The pressure of the overhead stream is increased, resulting in an increased temperature of the overhead and bottoms streams. The overhead stream can be split into portions to heat other columns.

A process for separating naphtha feed stream and recovering heat from at least one stream from a column by heating other columns. Preferably, both an overhead stream and a bottom stream from a first column heat a second column and a third column. The pressure of the overhead stream is increased, resulting in an increased temperature of the overhead and bottoms streams. The overhead stream can be split into portions to heat other columns.