Process for removing at least benzene from hydrocarbon streams

1. A method of diverting at least benzene from a hydrocarbon stream and enhancing the recovery of benzene and toluene from the diverted stream comprising:

concentrating aromatics in the hydrocarbon stream by passing the hydrocarbon stream directly from a reformer through a membrane unit having at least one membrane to produce a permeate stream and a retentate stream, wherein the permeate stream is aromatics rich relative to the hydrocarbon stream and wherein the membrane comprises a polymer;

feeding the permeate stream to a pre-fractionation column operated with a top, middle and bottom cut and feeding the middle cut of the pre-fractionation column to an extraction unit;

extracting aromatics from the middle cut using a selective aromatics extraction solvent in an extraction unit to produce an extract stream, wherein the extract stream is aromatics rich relative to the permeate stream;

fractionating the extract stream in a benzene distillation device to produce a benzene overhead stream and a benzene bottom stream, wherein the benzene overhead stream is rich in benzene relative to the extract stream;

fractionating the benzene bottom stream in a toluene distillation device to produce a toluene overhead stream and a toluene bottom stream, wherein the toluene overhead stream is rich in toluene relative to the benzene bottom stream; and

fractionating the toluene bottom stream in a xylene distillation device to produce a xylene overhead stream and a xylene bottom stream, wherein the xylene overhead stream is rich in xylene relative to the toluene bottom stream.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyesters, polyethers, polysulfones, polyimides, polyamides, polymers derived from bisphenol-A dianhydride, polyvinyl alcohols, polyacrylonitriles, polyurethanes, polyureas, polyacrylic acids, polyacrylates, elastomeric polymers such as polybutadiene, polyisoprenes, polyvinylpyridines, halogenated polymers, fluoroelastomers, polyvinyl halides, polysiloxanes, poly dimethyl siloxanes, a copolymer comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers, a blend comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers, an alloy comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers, or a combination comprising at least one of the foregoing polymers, copolymers, blends, or alloys.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a selective aromatics extraction solvent is selected from the group consisting tetrahydrothiophene 1,1 dioxide, propylene carbonate, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, N-methyl pyrollidone, N-formyl morpholine, phenol, furfural, N,N-dimethyl formamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, and dimethyl-acetamide.