Compositions and methods for inhibiting ammonium salt contamination

Abstract

Antifouling compounds or compositions are provided that are used to inhibit or reduce the deposition of ammonium salts. A method for inhibiting the deposition of contaminants comprising the steps of: n A method comprising introducing into the process a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound having M, wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkynyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or mixtures thereof; and n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present application aims to prevent or reduce the contamination of processes with ammonium salts. [Background technology]

[0002] Many industrial processes, such as the production of (meth)acrylonitrile, hydrogen cyanide, or the treatment of coke oven gas, generate industrial process streams that contain residual ammonia. Recovery and reuse of the residual ammonia would increase the economic viability of these and other ammonia producing processes.

[0003] Residual ammonia can be recovered from industrial processes using acids such as sulfuric acid in the form of ammonium sulfate salt. However, ammonium sulfate and other ammonium salts can precipitate and deposit on equipment surfaces, causing fouling. Fouling of equipment such as heat exchangers, reboilers, pipes, condensers, columns, etc., burdens production and operational efficiency as equipment must be shut down to remove the contaminants, resulting in production losses, cleaning costs, operational inconvenience, and associated safety and environmental issues. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] Described herein are compositions and methods for inhibiting or reducing contamination by salts of ammonium, such as ammonium sulfate, thereby improving system energy efficiency and preventing product quality issues. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] One aspect of the present invention is a method for inhibiting deposition of contaminants, comprising the steps of: The method includes introducing into the process a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound having the general structure: R-(SO3) n M wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkynyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0006] Another aspect of the invention is a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound for inhibiting deposition of contaminants in contact with process equipment, the at least one sulfonated compound comprising the general structure: R-(SO3) n M wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0007] In some aspects, the sulfonated compounds may include sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated oils, sulfated fatty acids, naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde condensates, naphthalenesulfonic acid copolymers, sulfonic acids, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, styrenesulfonic acid polymers, and lignosulfonic acid metal salts, or combinations thereof.

[0008] In some embodiments, the styrene polymer has the general structure: [ka] wherein M is hydrogen, an alkali metal or ammonium or a mixture thereof; R is hydrogen, alkylaryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl; R may contain heteroatoms; and n is an integer.

[0009] Yet another aspect of the present invention is A fluid; and at least one sulfonated compound.

[0010] The described sulfonated compounds can be used to inhibit contamination of ammonium salts, especially in processes for concentrating ammonium salts. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0011] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an ammonium sulfate concentration process.

[0012] [Diagram 2] 1 is a graphical representation showing the effect of an embodiment of the present invention on pollutants. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] Although the present disclosure provides reference to embodiments, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Various embodiments are described in detail with reference to the drawings. Reference to various embodiments is not intended to limit the scope of the claims appended hereto. Moreover, any examples described herein are not intended to be limiting, but merely to set forth some of the many possible embodiments of the appended claims.

[0014] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art. In case of conflict, the present document, including definitions, shall prevail. Methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, and are described below. All publications, patent applications, patents, and other references mentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

[0015] As used herein, the term “antifoulant” refers to a composition or compound that “inhibits” the formation or deposition of contaminants on “process equipment.” The term is understood to refer to the antifoulant by itself, or in a composition that may include other antifouling agents or compounds or solvents, as dictated by the context.

[0016] The term "contaminant" refers to materials that accumulate in process equipment during the operation of a manufacturing or chemical process and that are undesirable and impair the operation and efficiency of the process. "Contaminants" includes the formation of materials such as polymers, prepolymers, oligomers, and / or ammonium salts, such as ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, ammonium nitrate, etc., that become insoluble in the stream and / or precipitate from the stream and deposit on the process equipment under the conditions of operating the process equipment.

[0017] As used herein, the terms "inhibit," "inhibiting," or grammatical equivalents refer to preventing, retarding, mitigating, mitigating, minimizing, controlling, and / or slowing the deposition of contaminants.

[0018] As used herein, the term "process equipment" refers to equipment used to purify, store, transport, fractionate, or otherwise process materials including, but not limited to, heaters, heat exchangers, tubes, pipes, heat transfer vessels, processing vessels, tanks, compressors, fans, impellers, pumps, valves, intercoolers, sensors, strippers, quench towers or columns, evaporators, crystallizers, etc., that are associated with a process and may be subject to the deposition of contaminants. The term also includes sets of components in communication with, for example, quench towers and evaporators in an ammonium sulfate process.

[0019] As used herein, the terms "comprise(s)", "include(s)", "having", "has", "can", "contain(s)", and variations thereof are intended to be open-ended transitional phrases, terms, or words that do not exclude the possibility of additional acts or structures. The singular forms "a", "and", and "the" include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. The present disclosure also contemplates other embodiments that "comprising", "consisting of", and "consisting essentially of" the embodiments or elements presented herein, whether or not expressly stated.

[0020] As used herein, the terms "optional" or "optionally" mean that the subsequently described event or circumstance may occur but need not occur, and that the description includes instances where the event or circumstance occurs and instances where it does not occur.

[0021] As used herein, the term "about" to modify, for example, amounts, concentrations, volumes, process temperatures, process times, yields, flow rates, pressures, and similar values ​​and ranges of components in a composition used in describing embodiments of the present disclosure, refers to variations in numerical quantities that may occur, for example, due to typical measuring and handling procedures used to make a compound, composition, concentrate, or use formulation; due to accidental errors in these procedures; due to differences in manufacture, source, or purity of starting materials or components used to carry out the method, and due to similar approximation considerations. The term "about" also encompasses amounts that differ due to degradation of a formulation having a particular initial concentration or mixture, and amounts that differ due to mixing or processing a formulation having a particular initial concentration or mixture. When modified by the term "about", the appended claims include equivalents of these amounts. Furthermore, when "about" is used to describe a range of values, for example, "about 1 to 5" means "1 to 5" and "about 1 to about 5" and "1 to about 5" and "about 1 to 5", unless otherwise limited by the context.

[0022] The term "substantially" as used herein means "consisting essentially of" and includes "consisting of". "Consisting essentially of" and "consisting of" are to be interpreted as in U.S. Patent Law. For example, a solution that is "substantially free" of a particular compound or material may not contain that compound or material, or may have a small amount of that compound or material present due to unintended contamination, side reactions, incomplete purification, or the test method used. A "small amount" may be a trace amount, an immeasurable amount, an amount that does not interfere with the value or properties, or some other amount as the context provides. A composition that has "substantially only" a list of components provided may consist of only those components, or may have trace amounts of some other components present, or may have one or more additional components that do not materially affect the properties of the composition. Furthermore, for example, "substantially" as used in describing embodiments of the present disclosure to modify a type or amount of a component in a composition, a property, a measurable amount, a method, a value, or a range, refers to a variation that does not affect the described composition, property, amount, method, value, or range as a whole in a manner that invalidates the intended composition, property, amount, method, value, or range. When modified with the term "substantially," the claims appended hereto include equivalents according to this definition.

[0023] As used herein, any recited range of values ​​should be construed as supporting a claim reciting any subrange having endpoints that are real values ​​within the recited range, contemplating all values ​​within the range. As an illustrative example, disclosure of a range of 1-5 herein would be considered to support claims to any of the following ranges: 1-5, 1-4, 1-3, 1-2, 2-5, 2-4, 2-3, 3-5, 3-4, and 4-5.

[0024] Described herein are compositions and methods for using antifouling agents to inhibit or reduce the formation of ammonium salts, such as ammonium sulfate, as contaminants. The antifouling agent may include a sulfonated compound. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is a sulfonated oil, a sulfonated fatty acid, a sulfated oil, a sulfated fatty acid, a naphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate, a styrene sulfonic acid polymer, and related salts thereof, and mixtures and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound disperses contaminants in ammonia-related processes. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound disperses ammonium salts (e.g., ammonium sulfate) as contaminants in ammonium processes.

[0025] In some embodiments, sulfonated compounds suitable for use herein have the following general structure: R-(SO3) n M

[0026] wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof;

[0027] M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; and n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0028] In some embodiments, sulfonated compounds suitable for use herein have the following general structure: R-(SO3M) n

[0029] wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof;

[0030] M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; and n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0031] In yet other embodiments, sulfonated compounds suitable for use herein have the general structure: R-(SO3) n M n

[0032] wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof;

[0033] M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; and n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0034] In some embodiments, R is a hydrocarbon group having 1 to 34 carbon atoms selected from a linear or branched alkyl group, an aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl group, an alkyldiphenyl ether group, a dialkylnaphthalene group, or mixtures thereof.

[0035] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is an alkyl sulfonic acid, an alkyl aromatic sulfonic acid, or an alkyl naphthenic acid. In some embodiments, the alkyl sulfonic acid is an organic sulfonic acid, such as toluene sulfonic acid, methane sulfonic acid, dodecyl sulfone succinic anhydride, dodecyl sulfosuccinic acid, and dioctyl sulfosuccinic acid.

[0036] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compounds are naphthalenesulfonic acid-HCO copolymers and salts thereof, or 2-naphthalenesulfonic acid-HCO copolymers and salts thereof. [ka]

[0037] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, methylsulfonic acid, toluenesulfonic acid, alkyldiphenyletherdisulfonic acid, dialkylnaphthalenesulfonic acid, dioctyl sulfosuccinic acid, and mixtures thereof.

[0038] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compounds are neutralized polymeric condensation products of naphthalenesulfonic acid and formaldehyde. These naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde condensates can range in molecular weight from about X to about Y. The naphthalene moieties can be sulfonated at either the 1- or 2-position. Methylene bonds typically connect the sulfonated naphthalene rings at the 5- or 8-position. The polymers can be neutralized with a variety of bases or mixtures of bases, including sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, and ammonium hydroxide. The general structure of a naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate is --CH2[C 10 H5(SO3M)] n -- and M is Na + , K + , Ca +2 , NH4 + etc. In some embodiments, the naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate has a molecular weight of about 1000 to about 1 million daltons and is a salt of sodium, potassium, calcium, ammonium hydroxide, and / or mixtures thereof. In other embodiments, the naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate has a molecular weight of about 2500 to about 500,000 daltons, or about 3000 to about 10,000 daltons.

[0039] Sulfonated compounds can be prepared by any method known to those skilled in the art.For example, sulfonated oils, sulfonated fatty acids, sulfated oils, sulfated fatty acids, naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde, sulfonic acids, dodecylbenzenesulfonic acids, and lignosulfonic acid metal salts, and sulfonic acid polymers are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,650,072, 5,746,924, 3,691,226, and 8,067,629, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0040] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is a styrene sulfonate polymer. In some embodiments, the polymeric material has the following repeating units: [ka] wherein M is hydrogen, an alkali metal or ammonium or mixtures thereof; R is hydrogen, alkylaryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl; R may contain heteroatoms; and n is an integer.

[0041] In some embodiments, the styrene sulfonic acid polymer has a molecular weight of 50,000 to 2,000,000 or at least 100,000 to 1,000,000 Daltons.

[0042] To prepare the sulfonated compounds, various solvents such as alcohols, ethers, esters, ketones, nitriles or mixtures thereof may be used. In some embodiments, organic polar solvents (protic and aprotic) are used, such as either butyl cellosolve or ethylene oxide-based cellosolve-capped ether solvents, which may also include diethyl ether of tetraethylene glycol, polyethylene and polypropylene oxide alkyl ethers, and generally other ether solvents such as diethyl ether. In addition, other polar solvents that work include certain organic acids such as acetic acid, or other polar solvents such as linear and branched alkyl alcohols, such as diacetone alcohol, methanol, ethanol, propanol, isopropanol, t-butyl alcohol, and the like. Mixtures of these polar solvents may also be used.

[0043] Other solvents that may be used include esters such as ethyl acetate, ketones such as acetone, nitriles such as acetonitrile and acrylonitrile, water (when blended with some of the above solvents), and mixtures of the above solvents, as well as aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbon solvents, dimethylacetamide (DMAC), dimethylformamide (DMF), dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and heavy aromatic naphtha.

[0044] For example, the sulfonated compound may be prepared in water. A co-solvent may be used together with water to increase solubility and improve product stability and handling. In some embodiments, the styrene sulfonate polymer as the sulfonated compound is prepared in water.

[0045] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is prepared as a stock composition dissolved in a solvent at a concentration of about at least about 0.01% (wt), at least about 50% (wt), or in an amount in the range of at least about 0.01% (wt) to about 100% (wt).

[0046] A quantity of a stock composition comprising a sulfonated compound may be added to a composition or process stream, or a composition or process stream that may form a contaminant, to provide an antifoulant at a concentration effective to inhibit or reduce the deposition of contaminants (e.g., ammonium salts). In some embodiments, the process stream may include HCN, acetonitrile and heavy nitriles, corrosion products, polymers, catalyst fines, and ammonium salts.

[0047] The effective amount of sulfonated compound used will depend on many factors, such as local operating conditions, temperature, and other characteristics of the process, but in some embodiments, in a stream containing a contaminant (e.g., ammonia salt) being treated, the sulfonated compound or sulfonated compound in the composition may be from about 0.1 ppm to 10,000 ppm, 0.1 ppm to 3,000 ppm, about 100 ppm to 1000 ppm, about 500 ppm to 3,000 ppm, about 750 ppm to 3,000 ppm, about 2,000 ppm to 4,000 ppm, or about 3,000 ppm to 5,000 ppm, by weight or volume of sulfonated compound in the fluid source. It is used in an amount of 5,000 ppm, about 3,000 ppm to 5000 ppm, about 100 ppm to 3,000 ppm, 50 ppm to 2000 ppm, about 1 ppm to 1000 ppm, about 1 ppm to 3,000 ppm, about 10 ppm to 50 ppm, about 50 ppm to 100 ppm, 100 ppm to 800 ppm, 150 ppm to 550 ppm, about 1 ppm to 250 ppm, about 1 ppm to 50 ppm, about 1 ppm to 25 ppm, about 1 ppm to 5 ppm, about 3 ppm to 25 ppm, 0.1 ppm to 5 ppm, or about 0.1 ppm to 1 ppm.

[0048] In some embodiments, the compositions comprise, consist essentially of, or consist of at least one of the described sulfonated compounds. The sulfonated compounds may be formulated as antifoulant compositions useful for inhibiting deposition of contaminants (e.g., ammonium salts) on metal surfaces of process equipment that come into contact with ammonia (either in liquid or gas form) (the surfaces or liquids reach temperatures between 10° C. and 110° C.).

[0049] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compounds are part of a composition that includes other antifouling or dispersing agents, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, water purification agents, emulsion breakers, or any combination thereof.

[0050] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compounds are used in methods to inhibit or reduce the formation of contaminants such as ammonium salts and other organics. In some embodiments, the ammonium salts are ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH4H2PO4), diammonium phosphate (NH4)2HPO4, ammonium phosphate (NH4)2HPO4), or mixtures thereof. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compounds are used as antifouling agents to disperse ammonium salts produced in ammonium recovery or concentration systems. In some embodiments, the antifouling agent is a naphthalene sulfonic acid polymer or condensate or a styrene sulfonic acid polymer, or a combination thereof.

[0051] In some embodiments, the contaminants include HCN, acetonitrile and heavy nitriles, corrosion products, polymers, catalyst fines, and ammonium salts. In some embodiments, the contaminants may be present in the process water from about 75% by weight water, about 15% by weight ammonium salts, about 8.2% by weight polymers, 0.9% by weight acrylonitrile, and 0.3% by weight catalyst fines. In some embodiments, the antifoulant is a naphthalene sulfonic acid polymer or condensate or a styrene sulfonic acid polymer, or a combination thereof, used for samples containing contaminants including HCN, acetonitrile and heavy nitriles, corrosion products, polymers, catalyst fines, and ammonium salts.

[0052] In some embodiments, a typical commercial process for concentrating ammonium salts (e.g., ammonium sulfate) as a by-product or reducing the amount of waste is shown in Figure 1. With reference to Figure 1, a process stream containing residual ammonia 2 from an industrial process is quenched in absorber 3 with stream 1 containing ammonium sulfate to produce an aqueous ammonium sulfate solution. The aqueous ammonium sulfate solution is concentrated by passing it through evaporator 4. The concentrated ammonium sulfate is then passed through crystallizer 5 to form ammonium sulfate crystals. The ammonium sulfate crystals are separated from the mother liquor in separator 6 to form ammonium sulfate product 7.

[0053] In some embodiments, the antifoulant (eg, a sulfonated compound) is applied to the evaporation / concentration system 8, which includes the evaporator 4, crystallizer 5 units, and their auxiliary equipment, such as pipelines and pumps.

[0054] In some embodiments, the effluent containing ammonium salts is concentrated and separated in several stages, including precipitated salts (e.g., ammonium sulfate) that are returned to the concentration stage by precipitation crystallization and simultaneous evaporation. The remaining mother liquor discharged from the final stage of evaporation is optionally subjected to vacuum cooling crystallization at 10-80°C, about 35-60°C, and the ammonium sulfate formed can be separated and returned to evaporation crystallization. Dilution with water is performed before precipitation crystallization and optionally after vacuum cooling crystallization. Ammonia is added to the resulting solution at a concentration of about 5 kg / cm. 2 Up to about 1-2kg / cm 2 The ammonium sulfate that crystallizes is separated from the ammonia mother liquor, optionally washed to remove ammonia, and returned to the evaporative crystallization stage, after which the ammonia is recovered from the ammonia mother liquor by distillation. An example of a method for treating ammonium sulfate is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,043, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0055] In some embodiments, the concentrating system for ammonium salts (e.g., ammonium sulfate) includes two or more evaporators. In some embodiments, the multi-stage evaporation process may include at least two evaporators, a circulation pump, a steam heater, a condenser, and an ammonium sulfate solution tank or stream. The evaporator is for concentrating ammonium sulfate from various sources such as an acrylonitrile unit, and includes a first evaporator and a second evaporator, the first evaporator is used to directly process ammonium sulfate from the acrylonitrile unit, the second evaporator is used to process the processed ammonium sulfate from the first evaporator, and the first evaporator is simultaneously in communication with the second evaporator via a steam pipeline and an ammonium sulfate solution conveying pipeline. The circulation pump is used to circulate the ammonium sulfate solution. The steam heater is used to heat the medium in the evaporator. The condenser is used to condense the steam released by the evaporator. The ammonium sulfate solution tank is used to collect the concentrated solution. The steam heater is connected with the first effect evaporator. The condenser and the ammonium sulfate solution tank are each in communication with the second effect evaporator. Double-effect evaporation systems can improve energy efficiency, reduce steam consumption and operating costs, and provide environmental and economic benefits.

[0056] In some embodiments, the concentration system for ammonium sulfate is part of an acrylonitrile system. In some embodiments, the ammonium sulfate concentration system is part of a propylene ammoxidation type acrylonitrile system. In the production of acrylonitrile or methacrylonitrile, ammonia is used when acrylonitrile is produced by catalytic ammoxidation of propylene, propane, isobutene or isobutylene. In other embodiments, the ammonium sulfate concentration system is part of a coke oven gas quenching system in a coke plant. Unreacted or residual ammonia can be recycled or concentrated in the above process. An example of a process for treating ammonium sulfate is described in Chinese Patent Application No. 203108242U, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In other embodiments, other variations of the ammonium salt concentration system are described in Chinese Patent Application No. 106075943AU. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is applied to a pipeline connecting multiple evaporators or other parts of the system.

[0057] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is introduced into one or more fluid streams of the quench column and recovery stage, as well as the wastewater process where the sulfonated compound acts as a dispersant to prevent contaminant deposition and also facilitates removal of previously deposited contaminants.

[0058] In some embodiments, the antifouling agent is a sulfonated compound used to inhibit or reduce the formation of ammonium salts, such as ammonium sulfate, as a contaminant in the ammonium sulfate concentration system that is part of the acrylonitrile system. Examples of acrylonitrile plants are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 5,650,072, 5,746,924, 3,691,226, and 8,067,629, each of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0059] The sulfonated compound may be added in any suitable manner. For example, the sulfonated compound may be added neat or as a dilute solution. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound may be applied as a solution, emulsion, or dispersion that is sprayed, dripped, dumped, or injected into a desired opening in the system or onto process equipment.

[0060] The sulfonated compound may be added continuously or intermittently to the process equipment as needed to inhibit fouling. In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound may be pumped or injected into the system in a continuous or intermittent manner to mitigate fouling in the process unit. The injection point may be at any or all stages of the process unit.

[0061] The sulfonated compounds are used in any suitable process equipment. In some embodiments, the process equipment includes heat conversion units, heat exchangers, visbreakers, cokers, heaters, furnaces, fractionators, or other heat transfer equipment. In some embodiments, the process equipment is a gas compressor. In some embodiments, the process equipment is a coil, heat exchanger, transfer line exchanger quench cooler or quench tower or column, furnace, separation column or fractionator, evaporator, and crystallizer. The antifoulant composition may also be useful in other similar applications and other equipment. For example, the sulfonated compounds may be used in any process where the process equipment is in contact with ammonium salts, such as ammonium sulfate or ammonium chloride. In some embodiments, the process is an ethylene and acrylonitrile quench water system. The antifoulant composition may be used in ethylene dilution steam generators and acrylonitrile purification systems. Many polymer processes have monomer recovery systems that are subject to fouling and are excellent target applications for the antifoulant composition. The antifoulant composition may be used in any process that has process equipment that is subject to foulants (e.g., ammonium salts) forming and depositing on the process equipment.

[0062] In some embodiments, the sulfonated compound is introduced into the fluid by any suitable means to ensure dispersion of the sulfonated compound throughout the fluid source being treated. The composition containing the sulfonated compound may be injected as prepared or formulated with one or more additional solvents depending on the application and requirements. Those skilled in the art will understand that the methods disclosed herein are in no way limited by the introduction method, timing or location of introduction.

[0063] In some embodiments, the sulfonating compound is introduced into the process equipment or into a fluid in contact with the process equipment. In some embodiments, the treatment equipment is used to purify, store, transport, fractionate, or otherwise treat an ammonium stream that includes salts such as sulfates or chlorides.

[0064] The sulfonating compound or composition is introduced into the process equipment to form a treated process equipment, and in some embodiments, the treated process equipment is observed to have less contaminant deposition in the composition than process equipment without the addition of the sulfonating compound.

[0065] The inhibition of contaminant formation or deposition can be evaluated by any known method or test. In some embodiments, the inhibition of contaminant formation and deposition on process equipment can be evaluated by measuring the time it takes to disperse the contaminant, as described in Example 1.

[0066] The sulfonated compounds or compositions may be used on any process equipment having a metal surface. In some embodiments, the metal surface of the process equipment is a metal or metal alloy. For example, the metal surface may include steel (including carbon steel, stainless steel, galvanized steel, hot-dip galvanized steel, electrogalvanized steel, annealed hot-dip galvanized steel, or mild steel), nickel, titanium, tantalum, aluminum, copper, gold, silver, platinum, zinc, nickel-titanium alloy (nitinol), nickel, chromium, iron, iridium, tungsten, silicon, magnesium, tin alloys, alloys of any of the aforementioned metals, coatings including any of the aforementioned metals, and combinations thereof. In some embodiments, the metal surface of the process equipment is an iron alloy, carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel-chromium-iron alloy, or other alloy.

[0067] In some embodiments, the buildup of contaminant process equipment treated with the sulfonated compound is reduced by at least 50% by weight compared to process equipment not treated with the sulfonated compound, in some embodiments by about 50% to 100% by weight (a 100% reduction in polymer formation is the elimination of buildup), or by about 50% to 95% by weight, or by about 50% to 90% by weight, or by about 50% to 85% by weight, or by about 50% to 80% by weight, or by about 50% to 75% by weight, or by about 50% to 70% by weight, or by about 55% to 100% by weight, or by about 60% to 100% by weight, or by about 65% to 100% by weight, or by about 70% to 100% by weight, or by about 60% to 95% by weight, or by about 70% to 95% by weight, or by about 60% to 90% by weight, or by about 70% to 90% by weight.

[0068] To further illustrate the present disclosure, some additional non-limiting embodiments are provided below:

[0069] Embodiment 1: A method for inhibiting deposition of contaminants, comprising: The method includes introducing into the process a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound having the general structure: R-(SO3M) n wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; The method wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0070] Embodiment 2: A method for inhibiting deposition of contaminants, comprising: The method includes introducing into the process a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound having the general structure: R-(SO3) n M n wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; The method wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0071] Embodiment 3. The method of embodiment 1 or 2, wherein the introducing is by injecting, spraying, or dripping the sulfonated compound.

[0072] Embodiment 4: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 3, wherein the introducing is performed during or after washing or during the process.

[0073] Embodiment 5: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 4, wherein the process is an ammonium enrichment process.

[0074] Embodiment 6: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the process is an ammoxidation reaction of propylene, propane, isobutene, or isobutylene.

[0075] Embodiment 7: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 6, wherein the process is an acrylonitrile process.

[0076] Embodiment 8: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 7, wherein the introducing is performed intermittently.

[0077] Embodiment 9: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 8, wherein the introducing is performed continuously.

[0078] Embodiment 10: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 9, wherein the process equipment comprises a coil, a heat exchanger, a transfer line exchanger, a quench cooler or tower, a furnace, a separation column, a fractionator, an evaporator, a crystallizer, or a combination thereof.

[0079] Embodiment 11: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 10, wherein the process equipment comprises an evaporator, a crystallizer of an ammonium concentration system.

[0080] Embodiment 12: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 11, wherein the contaminants include HCN, acetonitrile and heavy nitriles, corrosion products, polymers, catalyst fines, and ammonium salts.

[0081] Embodiment 13: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 12, wherein the contaminant comprises ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

[0082] Embodiment 14: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 13, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound is added to the process fluid at 1 ppm to 3000 ppm of fluid volume.

[0083] Embodiment 15: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 14, wherein the composition further comprises one or more other antifouling agents or dispersants, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, or any combination thereof.

[0084] Embodiment 16: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 15, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises a sulfonated fatty acid, a sulfated oil, a sulfated fatty acid, a naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde, a naphthalenesulfonic acid copolymer, a sulfonic acid, a dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, a styrenesulfonic acid polymer, and a lignosulfonic acid metal salt, or a combination thereof.

[0085] Embodiment 17: The at least one sulfonated compound comprises a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having the general structure: [ka] 17. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein M is hydrogen, an alkali metal, or ammonium, or a mixture thereof; R is hydrogen, alkylaryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl; R may contain heteroatoms; and n is an integer.

[0086] Embodiment 18: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 17, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound is a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having a molecular weight of 50,000 to 2,000,000 Daltons, a naphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate having a molecular weight of 1000 to about 1 million Daltons, or a combination thereof.

[0087] Embodiment 19: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 18, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound provides 50% to 95% inhibition of contaminant deposition.

[0088] Embodiment 20: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 19, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound provides 50% to 95% inhibition of contaminant deposition in a dispersibility test.

[0089] Embodiment 21: The method of any one of embodiments 1 to 20, wherein introducing at least one sulfonated compound inhibits contaminant deposition in the process equipment compared to the process equipment under the same conditions without introducing the sulfonated compound.

[0090] Embodiment 22: A composition for inhibiting deposition of contaminants in contact with process equipment, comprising at least one sulfonated compound, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises the general structure: R-(SO3M) n wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; The composition, wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0091] Embodiment 23: A composition for inhibiting deposition of contaminants in contact with process equipment, comprising at least one sulfonated compound, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises the general structure: R-(SO3) n M n wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; The composition, wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[0092] Embodiment 24: The composition of embodiment 22 or 23, wherein the contaminant comprises at least an ammonium salt.

[0093] Embodiment 25: The composition of any one of embodiments 22 to 24, wherein the contaminant comprises at least ammonium sulfate (NH4)2SO4, ammonium chloride (NH4Cl), ammonium nitrate (NH4NO3), ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH4H2PO4), diammonium phosphate (NH4)2HPO4, ammonium phosphate (NH4)2HPO4), or a mixture thereof.

[0094] Embodiment 26: The composition of any one of embodiments 22-25, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises a sulfonated fatty acid, a sulfated oil, a sulfated fatty acid, a naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde, a naphthalenesulfonic acid copolymer, a sulfonic acid, a dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, a styrenesulfonic acid polymer, and a lignosulfonic acid metal salt, or a combination thereof.

[0095] Embodiment 27: The at least one sulfonated compound comprises a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having the general structure: [ka] 27. The composition of any one of embodiments 22-26, wherein M is hydrogen, an alkali metal, or ammonium, or a mixture thereof; R is hydrogen, alkylaryl, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, R may contain heteroatoms, and n is an integer.

[0096] Embodiment 28: The composition of any one of embodiments 22 to 27, wherein the sulfonated compound is from about 1 ppm to 3000 ppm of the composition.

[0097] Embodiment 29: The composition of any one of embodiments 22 to 28, wherein the composition further comprises one or more other antifouling agents or dispersants, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, or any combination thereof.

[0098] Embodiment 30: A fluid; and at least one sulfonated compound according to any one of embodiments 22 to 29.

[0099] Embodiment 31: The composition of embodiment 30, wherein the fluid is in contact with a coil, a heat exchanger, a transfer line heat exchanger quench cooler or tower, a furnace, a separation column fractionator, an evaporator, a crystallizer, or a combination thereof.

[0100] Embodiment 32: The composition of embodiment 30 or 31, wherein the fluid comprises at least an ammonium salt.

[0101] Embodiment 33: The composition of embodiment 30 or 31, wherein the fluid comprises at least ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

[0102] Embodiment 34: The composition of any one of embodiments 30 to 33, wherein the fluid temperature is about 10°C to 101°C.

[0103] Embodiment 35: a process device including a metal surface; 32. A treated process apparatus comprising: a fluid source comprising the sulfonated compound of any one of embodiments 21-31, wherein at least a portion of a metal surface is in contact with the fluid source.

[0104] Embodiment 36: The treated process equipment of embodiment 35, wherein the process equipment comprises iron or an iron alloy.

[0105] Embodiment 37: The treated process equipment of embodiment 36, wherein the iron alloy comprises carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel-chromium-iron alloy, or other alloy.

[0106] Embodiment 38: The treated process equipment of any one of embodiments 35-37, wherein the metal containment vessel comprises a coil, a heat exchanger, a transfer line exchanger, a quench cooler or tower, a furnace, a separation column fractionator, an evaporator, a crystallizer, or a combination thereof.

[0107] Embodiment 39: The treated process equipment of any one of embodiments 35 to 38, wherein the fluid comprises a contaminant comprising at least an ammonium salt.

[0108] Embodiment 40: The treated process equipment of any one of embodiments 35-39, wherein the contaminants comprise ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

[0109] Embodiment 41: Use of a sulfonated compound according to any one of embodiments 1 to 40 for inhibiting ammonium salt contamination. EXAMPLES

[0110] The following examples are intended to illustrate different aspects and embodiments of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the present invention. It will be appreciated that various modifications and variations can be made without following the experimental embodiments described herein and without departing from the scope of the claims.

[0111] Example 1 To determine the effectiveness of various dispersants, samples of ammonium sulfate contaminants, including fine catalyst dust and polymer, were taken from the ammonium sulfate evaporation / concentration system of an acrylonitrile plant. The contaminant samples were dried and ground to a powder. Various dispersants were dissolved in either water or a polar solvent.

[0112] The various dispersants shown in Table 1 were each added to a separate test tube. Each test tube contained 10 ml of process water (75.5 wt.% water, 15.4 wt.% ammonium sulfate, 8.2 wt.% polymer, 0.9 wt.% acrylonitrile, and other materials including 0.3 wt.% catalyst fines), 0.05 grams of ammonium sulfate contaminant, and various dosages of dispersant. The contents of each tube were mixed and allowed to sit at ambient temperature (e.g., 25-30°C). Data are reported as the time required for the contents in the tube to settle. A test tube containing all the above contents but no dispersant was used as a blank. The dosages of the various dispersants tested were 200 ppm, 400 ppm, 800 ppm, and 1600 ppm.

[0113] The various dispersants tested are shown in Table 1. The results, which are the time it takes for the contents in each tube to settle for each dispersant tested, are shown in Figure 2. The longer the time to settle, the better the dispersant's dispersing performance. [Table 1]

[0114] As can be seen in Figure 2 above, styrene sulfonic acid polymer (2) and naphthalene sulfonic acid copolymer salt (1) showed the best ability to disperse the contaminants compared to the blank and the other dispersants tested. Examples of embodiments of the present disclosure are listed in the following items [1] to

[39] . [1] 1. A method for inhibiting deposition of contaminants, the method comprising: The method includes introducing into the process a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound having the general structure: R-(SO 3 ) n M wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkynyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; The method wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6. [2] 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said introducing is by injecting, spraying, or dripping said sulfonated compound. [3] 3. The method according to item 1 or 2, wherein said introducing is carried out during or after washing or during said process. [4] 4. The method according to any one of items 1 to 3, wherein the process is an ammonium concentration process. [5] The method according to any one of items 1 to 4, wherein the process is an ammoxidation reaction of propylene, propane, isobutene, or isobutylene. [6] 6. The method according to any one of items 1 to 5, wherein the process is an acrylonitrile process. [7] 7. The method of any one of items 1 to 6, wherein the introducing is performed intermittently. [8] 8. The method according to any one of items 1 to 7, wherein the introducing is carried out continuously. [9] 9. The method of any one of items 1 to 8, wherein the process equipment comprises a coil, a heat exchanger, a transfer line exchanger, a quench cooler or tower, a furnace, a separation column, a fractionator, an evaporator, a crystallizer, or a combination thereof.

[10] 10. The method according to any one of items 1 to 9, wherein the process equipment comprises an evaporator, a crystallizer of an ammonium concentration system.

[11] 11. The method according to any one of items 1 to 10, wherein the contaminants include HCN, acetonitrile and heavy nitriles, corrosion products, polymers, catalyst fines, and ammonium salts.

[12] 12. The method according to any one of items 1 to 11, wherein the contaminant comprises ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

[13] 13. The method according to any one of items 1 to 12, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound is added to the process fluid at 1 ppm to 3000 ppm of fluid volume.

[14] 14. The method of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the composition further comprises one or more other antifouling agents or dispersants, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, or any combination thereof.

[15] 15. The method of any one of items 1 to 14, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises a sulfonated fatty acid, a sulfated oil, a sulfated fatty acid, a naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde, a naphthalenesulfonic acid copolymer, a sulfonic acid, a dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, a styrenesulfonic acid polymer, and a lignosulfonic acid metal salt, or a combination thereof.

[16] The at least one sulfonated compound comprises a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having the general structure:

change

[17] 17. The method according to any one of items 1 to 16, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound is a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having a molecular weight of 50,000 to 2,000,000 Daltons, a naphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate having a molecular weight of 1000 to about 1,000,000 Daltons, or a combination thereof.

[18] 18. The method according to any one of items 1 to 17, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound provides 50% to 95% inhibition of contaminant deposition.

[19] 19. The method according to any one of items 1 to 18, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound provides 50% to 95% inhibition of contaminant deposition in a dispersibility test.

[20] 20. The method of any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the introduction of the at least one sulfonated compound inhibits contaminant deposition in the process equipment compared to a process equipment under the same conditions without introduction of the sulfonated compound.

[21] 1. A composition for inhibiting deposition of contaminants in contact with process equipment, comprising at least one sulfonated compound, the at least one sulfonated compound comprising the general structure: R-(SO 3 ) n M wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; The composition, wherein n is in the range of 1 to about 6.

[22] 22. The composition of claim 21, wherein the contaminant comprises at least an ammonium salt.

[23] The contaminant is at least ammonium sulfate (NH 4 ) 2 SO 4 , ammonium chloride (NH 4 Cl), ammonium nitrate (NH 4 NO 3 ), ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH 4 H 2 PO 4 ), diammonium phosphate (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 , ammonium phosphate (NH 4 ) 2 HPO 4 23. The composition according to item 21 or 22, comprising:

[24] 22. The composition of claim 21, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises a sulfonated fatty acid, a sulfated oil, a sulfated fatty acid, a naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde, a naphthalenesulfonic acid copolymer, a sulfonic acid, a dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, a styrenesulfonic acid polymer, and a lignosulfonic acid metal salt or a combination thereof.

[25] The at least one sulfonated compound comprises a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having the general structure:

change

[26] 26. The composition according to any one of items 21 to 25, wherein the sulfonated compound is about 1 ppm to 3000 ppm of the composition.

[27] 27. The composition according to any one of items 21 to 26, wherein the composition further comprises one or more other antifouling agents or dispersants, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, or any combination thereof.

[28] A fluid; At least one sulfonated compound according to any one of items 21 to 27, A composition comprising:

[29] 30. The composition of claim 28, wherein the fluid is in contact with a coil, a heat exchanger, a transfer line heat exchanger quench cooler or tower, a furnace, a separation column fractionator, an evaporator, a crystallizer, or a combination thereof.

[30] 30. The composition according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the fluid comprises at least an ammonium salt.

[31] 30. The composition according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the fluid comprises at least ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride or a mixture thereof.

[32] 32. The composition according to any one of items 28 to 31, wherein the fluid temperature is about 10°C to 101°C.

[33] a process device including a metal surface; A fluid source comprising the sulfonated compound according to any one of items 21 to 31, wherein at least a portion of the metal surface is in contact with the fluid source; The treated process equipment includes:

[34] 34. The treated process equipment of claim 33, wherein the process equipment comprises iron or an iron alloy.

[35] 35. The treated process equipment of claim 34, wherein the iron alloy comprises carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel-chromium-iron alloy, or other alloy.

[36] 36. The treated process equipment of any one of items 32 to 35, wherein the metal containment vessel comprises a coil, a heat exchanger, a transfer line exchanger, a quench cooler or tower, a furnace, a separation column fractionator, an evaporator, a crystallizer, or a combination thereof.

[37] 37. The treated process equipment according to any one of items 32 to 36, wherein the fluid contains a contaminant comprising at least an ammonium salt.

[38] 37. The treated process equipment of any one of items 32 to 36, wherein the contaminants comprise ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

[39] 39. Use of a sulfonated compound according to any one of items 1 to 38 for inhibiting ammonium salt contamination.

Claims

1. 1. A method for inhibiting deposition of contaminants, the method comprising: introducing into a process equipment of the process a composition comprising at least one sulfonated compound having the general structure: R-(SO ３ ) ｎ M wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkynyl, or alkenyl groups, and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; n is in the range of 1 to 6; The process is an ammonium concentration process and is a part of an acrylonitrile production process including an ammoxidation reaction of propylene, propane, isobutene, or isobutylene; The method, wherein the process equipment comprises an evaporator, a crystallizer, or both.

2. 10. The method of claim 1, wherein said introducing is by injecting, spraying, or dripping said sulfonated compound.

3. 3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein said introducing is performed during or after washing or during said process.

4. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said introducing is performed intermittently.

5. The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the introducing is performed continuously.

6. The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the contaminants include HCN, acetonitrile and heavy nitriles, corrosion products, polymers, catalyst fines, and ammonium salts.

7. The method of any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the contaminant comprises ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound is added to the process fluid at from 1 ppm to 3000 ppm of fluid volume.

9. The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the composition further comprises one or more other antifouling or dispersing agents, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, or any combination thereof.

10. 10. The method of any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound comprises a sulfonated fatty acid, a sulfated oil, a sulfated fatty acid, a naphthalenesulfonic acid formaldehyde, a naphthalenesulfonic acid copolymer, a sulfonic acid, a dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, a styrenesulfonic acid polymer, and a lignosulfonic acid metal salt, or a combination thereof.

11. The at least one sulfonated compound comprises a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having the general structure: 【Chemistry 1】 11. The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein M is hydrogen, an alkali metal or ammonium or a mixture thereof, R is hydrogen, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, R may contain heteroatoms, and n is an integer.

12. 12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound is a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having a molecular weight of 50,000 to 2,000,000 Daltons, a naphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde condensate having a molecular weight of 1,000 to 1,000,000 Daltons, or a combination thereof.

13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound provides 50% to 95% inhibition of contaminant deposition.

14. The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the at least one sulfonated compound provides 50% to 95% inhibition of contaminant deposition in a dispersancy test.

15. 15. The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the introduction of the at least one sulfonated compound inhibits deposition of contaminants on the process equipment compared to process equipment under the same conditions without the introduction of the sulfonated compound.

16. 1. A composition for inhibiting deposition of contaminants in contact with process equipment, comprising at least one sulfonated compound, the at least one sulfonated compound comprising the general structure: R-(SO ３ ) ｎ M wherein R is a hydrocarbon group selected from linear or branched alkyl, aromatic, cyclic, alkaryl, aralkyl, or alkenyl groups and mixtures thereof; M is H, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, an alkali metal cation, an alkaline earth metal cation, an ammonium cation, an alkylammonium cation, or a mixture thereof; n is in the range of 1 to 6; the at least one sulfonated compound comprises a sulfated oil, a naphthalene sulfonic acid formaldehyde, a naphthalene sulfonic acid copolymer, a styrene sulfonic acid polymer, and a lignosulfonic acid metal salt, or a combination thereof; The composition, wherein the process equipment comprises an evaporator, a crystallizer, or both, of an ammonium concentration system.

17. The composition of claim 16 , wherein the contaminant comprises at least an ammonium salt.

18. The contaminant is at least ammonium sulfate (NH ４ ) ２ SO ４ , ammonium chloride (NH ４ Cl), ammonium nitrate (NH ４ NO ３ ), ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (NH ４ H ２ P.O. ４ ), diammonium phosphate (NH ４ ) ２ H.P.O. ４ , ammonium phosphate (NH ４ ) ２ H.P.O. ４ 18. The composition of claim 16 or 17, comprising:

19. The at least one sulfonated compound comprises a styrene sulfonic acid polymer having the general structure: 【Chemistry 2】 17. The composition of claim 16, wherein M is hydrogen, an alkali metal, or ammonium, or a mixture thereof; R is hydrogen, alkylaryl, arylalkyl, R may contain heteroatoms, and n is an integer.

20. 20. The composition of any one of claims 16 to 19, wherein the sulfonated compound is from 1 ppm to 3000 ppm of the composition.

21. 21. The composition of any one of claims 16 to 20, wherein the composition further comprises one or more other antifouling or dispersing agents, polymerization inhibitors, corrosion inhibitors, emulsifiers, or any combination thereof.

22. a process device including a metal surface; A fluid source comprising a sulfonated compound according to any one of claims 16 to 21, wherein at least a portion of said metal surface is in contact with said fluid source; The treated process equipment includes:

23. 23. The treated process equipment of claim 22, wherein the process equipment comprises iron or an iron alloy.

24. 24. The treated process equipment of claim 23, wherein the iron alloy comprises carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel-chromium-iron alloy, or other alloy.

25. The treated process equipment of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the fluid contains a contaminant comprising at least an ammonium salt.

26. 25. The treated process equipment of any one of claims 22 to 24, wherein the contaminants include ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.

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