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Speight_Part II_B 11/7/01 3:11 PM Page 2.93

BTX AROMATICS

BTX (benzene-toluene-xylene) mixtures are an important petroleum refin-
ery stream that is separated by extractive distillation (Fig. 1) from a hydro-
carbon stream, usually a reformate, and followed by downstream fractionation
for isolation of the pure materials for further treatment and use (Fig. 2).
The BTX stream provides the individual components of the mixture for
further use (Fig. 3).

See Benzene, Toluene, Xylenes.

Raffinate

Extract
Feedstock

Solvent

FIGURE 1 Schematic of extractive distillation.

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