Ionic Liquid Mercury Extraction from Hydrocarbons
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Mercury contamination in hydrocarbon fluids from oil and gas fields poses toxicity and corrosion risks, leading to equipment damage and economic losses, with existing removal methods being inefficient or requiring additional chemicals.
Innovation Solution
The process involves contacting mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluids with an ionic liquid, composed of specific cationic and anionic species, to extract mercury without additives, effectively removing elemental, particulate, or organic mercury forms at ambient temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mercury removal methods (scrubbing, oxidation, solvent extraction) are used, then mercury can be removed from hydrocarbons, but the process requires additional chemicals, pre-treatment steps, and becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts mercury from hydrocarbon fluids using ionic liquids as the extracting agent. The ionic liquid selectively binds to mercury species (elemental, particulate, or organic forms) and separates them from the hydrocarbon phase, achieving effective removal without requiring additional chemical additives or pre-treatment steps that conventional methods demand.
Solution Approach 2:
The ionic liquid acts as an intermediary substance between the hydrocarbon fluid and the mercury contaminants. It facilitates the separation process by forming a distinct phase that selectively interacts with mercury, enabling efficient removal while maintaining process simplicity and avoiding the complex multi-step procedures required by traditional scrubbing or oxidation methods.
2Reliability
If conventional mercury removal methods are used, then mercury can be removed, but additional chemicals and pre-treatment are required
Solution Approach 1:
The ionic liquid performs the mercury removal function autonomously through its inherent chemical properties. It directly contacts the hydrocarbon fluid and selectively binds mercury species without requiring external chemical additives, oxidizing agents, or pre-treatment chemicals, thereby eliminating the need for additional substance consumption while maintaining effective mercury removal.
3Device complexity
If mercury is not removed from hydrocarbons, then the process is simpler, but equipment damage and product quality deterioration occur
Solution Approach 1:
The ionic liquid extracts mercury contaminants from the hydrocarbon fluid in a single contact step, removing the harmful substance before it can cause equipment corrosion or toxicity issues. This straightforward extraction approach maintains process simplicity while effectively eliminating the harmful factors that would otherwise damage equipment and compromise product quality.
4Productivity
If mercury contamination is present in hydrocarbons, then no additional processing is needed, but product quality decreases and economic value is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The ionic liquid removes mercury contaminants from hydrocarbon products through direct contact and selective binding, achieving effective purification in a single step. This extraction process significantly improves product quality by reducing mercury content to below 5 ppb, thereby restoring or enhancing the economic value of the hydrocarbon product without requiring complex multi-step processing that would reduce overall productivity.
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
This method achieves significant mercury extraction (>60 wt%) from hydrocarbon fluids, reducing mercury content to below 5 ppb, thereby preventing equipment damage and improving product quality without the need for chemical modification or pre-treatment.
Implementation Method 1
contacting the mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed with an ionic liquid... separating from the ionic liquid a hydrocarbon fluid product having a reduced mercury content
Data Source
AI summary
This invention relates to a process for removing metals, particularly mercury, from hydrocarbon streams by use of an ionic liquid, where in the metal-containing hydrocarbon stream is contacted with an ionic liquid to produce a product hydrocarbon stream having reduced mercury content.