What is catalytic reforming and what products does it produce?

Catalytic reforming converts low-octane naphtha to high-octane reformate for gasoline blending. Also produces hydrogen as a byproduct. Reactions: dehydrogenation of naphthenes to aromatics (main reaction), isomerization, dehydrocyclization of paraffins. Operating conditions: 480-530C, 10-35 bar, over Pt-based catalyst on acidic alumina. Products: reformate (high octane, 95-100 RON) rich in aromatics (benzene, toluene, xylene), hydrogen (valuable for hydrotreating), and LPG. Modern refineries use continuous catalyst regeneration (CCR) reformers. Reformate can also be separated to produce BTX for petrochemical use. Hydrogen production makes reformer integral to refinery hydrogen balance.