Food/Polymer Grade Hexane
Produce high-value Food Grade Hexane and other C6 products directly from your isomerization unit using DWC Prime.
Isomerization has gained importance across the globe due to its ability to upgrade the octane number of naphtha fractions. In addition to octane enhancement, isomerization units can also be utilized to produce higher-value products such as Food Grade Hexane (FGH).
A typical isomerization process
A typical isomerization process uses a three-cut Deisohexanizer (DIH) column to separate the product stream into:
- High-octane light isomerate
- High-octane heavy isomerate
- Low-octane recycle stream returned to the isomerization reactor
Dividing Wall Column (DWC) Technology enables the conversion of a conventional Deisohexanizer column into a multi-product separation system capable of producing an additional fourth cut consisting of valuable C6 products:
- Food Grade Hexane (FGH)
- Polymer Grade Hexane (PGH)
- Isohexane
- Special Boiling Point Spirit (SBPS)
Benefits of Converting a DIH Column to DWC Prime
The conversion of a conventional DIH column to DWC Prime offers numerous operational and economic benefits:
- Provides an additional source of revenue through the production of Food Grade Hexane.
- Increases fresh feed processing capacity to the isomerization unit.
- Can increase total octane barrel production by up to 25%.
- Preserves the existing Research Octane Number (RON) of the isomerization unit.
- No additional plot space required.
- No requirement for new distillation columns.
- Up to 50% lower energy consumption compared to alternative C6 production methods such as naphtha dearomatization.
- Applicable for both grassroots and revamp projects.
- Typical payback period for revamp projects ranges from 2 to 10 months.
View Food/Polymer Grade Hexane Product Specifications (PDF) for full product specifications of C6 products.
Food-Grade Hexane from your Isomerization Unit
See how a four-cut Dual Dividing Wall Column turns a conventional deisohexanizer into a high-value product machine — carving out food-grade and pharma-grade hexane while keeping isomerate octane unchanged.
- One shell, four clean cuts — light isomerate, hexane, recycle, heavy isomerate
- RON unchanged · 8–15% more feed processed
- World’s first Dual DWC in an ISOM unit — proven at CPCL, India
Want to add Food Grade Hexane production to your unit?
Contact our engineering team to explore opportunities to increase product value, capacity, and profitability.
