Catalytic reforming catalysts are dosed with organic chloride to condition the catalyst, which leads to chloride compounds in the product streams at low ppm levels. If untreated, these chlorides, containing both hydrogen chloride (HCl) and various organic chlorides, cause operational related problems. These problems include formation and deposition of ammonium chloride, chloride related corrosion, poisoning of downstream catalysts and product specification issues. As a result, many operators install chloride guard beds to remove the chloride. Chloride is important in both catalytic reforming and isomerization as it helps to maintain catalytic activity over time. However, as chloride is continuously fed into these units, it also has to exit.
