Process which does simultaneous dehydrochlorination and hydrocracking of pyrolysis oils from mixed plastic pyrolysis while achieving selective hydrodealkylation of C9+ aromatics

1. A process for hydrodealkylating a hydrocarbon stream comprising:

(a) contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst in a hydroprocessing reactor in the presence of hydrogen to yield a hydrocarbon product, wherein the hydrocarbon stream contains C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons; and

(b) recovering a treated hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product,

wherein an amount of C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons in the treated hydrocarbon stream is less than an amount of C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream due to hydrodealkylating of at least a portion of C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon stream during the step (a) of contacting;

wherein the step (a) of contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst is performed at (i) a temperature of 260° C. to 350° C.; (ii) a pressure of 10 barg to 45 barg; (iii) a weight hourly space velocity of about 0.1 hr- 1 to about 10 hr- 1 ; and (iv) a hydrogen to hydrocarbon ratio of 200 NL/L to 800 NL/L;

wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is activated in-situ and/or ex-situ by contacting the hydroprocessing catalyst with a stream containing sulphides and chlorides;

wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is activated for simultaneous dehydrochlorination, hydrocracking and hydrodealkylation; and

wherein one or more chloride compounds are contained in and/or added to the hydrocarbon stream in an amount of 10 ppm chloride, based on a total weight of the hydrocarbon stream, and the treated hydrocarbon stream comprises one or more chloride compounds in an amount of less than 10 ppm chloride, based on a total weight of the treated hydrocarbon stream.

2. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step (a) of contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst is performed at (i) a temperature of 260° C. and (ii) a hydrogen to hydrocarbon ratio of 800 NL/L.

3. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is activated in-situ.

4. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises tungsten and molybdenum on an alumina support, platinum and palladium on an alumina support, nickel sulphides, nickel sulphides on an alumina support, molybdenum sulphides, molybdenum sulphides on an alumina support, or combinations thereof.

5. The process of claim 1 , wherein one or more sulphides are contained in and/or added to the hydrocarbon stream in an amount effective to provide for a sulphur content of the hydrocarbon stream of from about 0.05 wt. % to about 5 wt. %, based on the total weight of the hydrocarbon stream.

6. The process of claim 1 , further comprising feeding the treated hydrocarbon stream to a steam cracker.

7. The process of claim 6 , wherein the treated hydrocarbon stream is characterized by a boiling end point of 370° C.

8. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) of recovering a treated hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product comprises (i) separating a treated product from a sulphur and chlorine-containing gas in a separator; and (ii) flowing the treated product in the treated hydrocarbon stream from the separator.

9. The process of claim 1 , wherein the step (b) of recovering a treated hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product comprises:

(i) separating an intermediate treated product from a sulphur and chlorine-containing gas in a separator;

(ii) distilling the intermediate treated product in a distillation column to produce a treated hydrocarbon stream characterized by a boiling end point of less than about 370° C. and a heavy treated hydrocarbon stream characterized by a boiling end point of equal to or greater than about 370° C.;

(iii) feeding at least a portion of the treated hydrocarbon stream to a steam cracker; and

(iv) recycling at least a portion of the heavy treated hydrocarbon stream to the hydroprocessing reactor.

10. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream further comprises C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons and the treated hydrocarbon stream further comprises C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons, and wherein an amount of C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons in the treated hydrocarbon stream is greater than an amount of C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream.

11. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarbon stream further comprises C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons and heavy hydrocarbon molecules, and the treated hydrocarbon stream further comprises C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons, and wherein an amount of C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons in the treated hydrocarbon stream is increased by equal to or greater than at least 1 wt. % when compared to an amount of C 6-8 aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream.

12. The process of claim 1 , wherein at least about 5 wt. % of the C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream are hydrodealkylated in step (a).

13. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises tungsten and molybdenum on an alumina support.

14. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises platinum and palladium on an alumina support.

15. The process of claim 1 , wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst comprises nickel sulphides.

16. A process for hydrodealkylating a hydrocarbon stream consisting of the steps of:

(a) contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst in a hydroprocessing reactor in the presence of hydrogen to yield a hydrocarbon product, wherein the hydrocarbon stream contains C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons; and

(b) recovering a treated hydrocarbon stream from the hydrocarbon product, wherein the treated hydrocarbon stream comprises C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons, wherein an amount of C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons in the treated hydrocarbon stream is less than an amount of C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons in the hydrocarbon stream due to hydrodealkylating of at least a portion of C 9 aromatic hydrocarbons from the hydrocarbon stream during the step (a) of contacting;

wherein the step (a) of contacting the hydrocarbon stream with a hydroprocessing catalyst is performed at (i) a temperature of from 100° C.; (ii) a pressure of 1 bar absolute; (iii) a weight hourly space velocity of 0.1 hr −1 ; and (iv) a hydrogen to hydrocarbon ratio of 3,000 NL/L; and

wherein the hydroprocessing catalyst is activated in-situ and/or ex-situ by contacting the hydroprocessing catalyst with a stream containing sulphides and chlorides and the hydroprocessing catalyst is activated for simultaneous dehydrochlorination, hydrocracking and hydrodealkylation.