Halide-Copper-Molybdenum Sorbent for Mercury Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing sorbents are unable to effectively remove both organic vapors and mercury from fluid streams, posing a challenge in developing high-performance sorbents for multi-gas removal applications.
Innovation Solution
A sorbent material product is developed, comprising a surface deposition of about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % of a halide, about 0.1 wt. % to about 20 wt. % copper, and about 0.1 wt. % to about 10 wt. % molybdenum, which is applied to activated carbon or other sorbent materials to enhance mercury and organic vapor removal capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional impregnated activated carbon adsorbents are used to remove toxic vapors, then organic vapor removal performance is improved, but mercury removal capability is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining activated carbon with specific impregnants (copper, molybdenum, and halides) to create a sorbent that simultaneously effective against both organic vapors and mercury. The composite structure allows the activated carbon to provide general adsorption while the metal impregnants specifically target mercury, resolving the contradiction between organic vapor removal and mercury removal capabilities.
2Reliability
If hexavalent chromium is used as an impregnant on activated carbon, then toxic vapor removal efficiency is improved, but health safety and toxicity concerns worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces hazardous permanent impregnants like hexavalent chromium with safer, shorter-lived metal impregnants (copper and molybdenum) that can be easily removed or replaced. This substitution maintains the functional benefit of enhanced toxic vapor removal while eliminating the long-term health hazards associated with chromium impregnants.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful effect of traditional chromium impregnants into a beneficial solution by using alternative metals that provide similar or superior performance without the toxicity. The copper and molybdenum impregnants offer equivalent toxic vapor removal capability while converting the harmful chromium-based system into a safer alternative.
3Reliability
If a single impregnated adsorbent is used to target specific contaminants, then removal efficiency for that contaminant is improved, but effectiveness against a range of toxic agents deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies universality by designing a multi-functional sorbent where the activated carbon matrix provides general adsorption capability for various toxic agents, while the copper and molybdenum impregnants provide specific functionality for mercury and other metals. This multi-functional approach allows a single adsorbent to effectively handle a broad spectrum of contaminants including organic vapors, mercury, and other toxic gases.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The sorbent material product achieves a significant increase in mercury removal performance, with a mercury breakthrough time of at least 480 minutes, while maintaining effective removal of other contaminants such as ammonia, sulfur dioxide, cyclohexane, and CCl4.
Implementation Method 1
Sorbents such as activated carbon have long been used to remove toxic gases and vapors from fluid streams
Data Source
AI summary
The present disclosure describes sorbent material products for the removal of mercury and other toxic gases. These sorbent material products may include a halide, copper, and molybdenum. Methods of preparing the sorbent material products disclosed herein and methods of removing mercury from a fluid stream using the same are also provided.