Toluene production

1. In a method for optimizing the production of nitration grade toluene product from a feed containing primarily C6 and C7 aromatic and non-aromatic hydrocarbons including benzene and toluene, said method using a solvent extraction process that forms an extract stream containing primarily benzene and toluene and a separate raffinate stream containing primarily C6 and C7 non-aromatic hydrocarbons and toluene, said extract stream being subjected to a benzene distillation step to remove benzene from said extract stream, said benzene distillation step being followed by a benzene splitter step to remove additional C6 hydrocarbons from said extract stream, said benzene splitter step being followed by a toluene distillation step from which a toluene product is recovered, the improvement comprising adding a portion of said raffinate stream to said extract stream downstream of said benzene distillation step, whereby an optimized volume of nitration grade toluene product is formed.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said raffinate is added to said extract stream upstream of said benzene splitter step.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein in said benzene splitter step hydrocarbons lighter than toluene are removed from said portion of said raffinate stream that was added to said extract stream upstream of said benzene splitter step.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said portion of said raffinate added to said extract stream is from about 2 to about 4 wt % based on the total weight of said extract stream.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said raffinate added to said extract stream contains from about 50 to about 55 wt % hexanes, from about 35 to about 40 wt % heptanes, and from about 7 to about 8 wt % toluene, with the remainder, if any, being xylenes and benzene, all wt % being based on the total weight of said added raffinate.