Ionic Liquid Scrubbing for Mercury Removal in Hydrocarbons
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for removing mercury from hydrocarbon fluids, such as those from oil and gas fields, are inefficient and often corrosive, leading to equipment damage and poor product quality, particularly when dealing with elemental, organic, and ionic mercury forms.
Innovation Solution
The use of certain metal-containing ionic liquids that can extract elemental, organic, and ionic mercury forms by providing a mildly oxidizing environment, allowing for the oxidation and capture of mercury species, thereby reducing mercury content in hydrocarbon fluids effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional scrubbing techniques using sulfur, transition metal or heavy metal sulfides and iodides are used, then mercury removal is achieved, but the process becomes corrosive to equipment and requires complex multi-step procedures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the scrubbing solution by using ionic liquids with specific cations (imidazolium, pyridinium, ammonium, phosphonium) and anions (halides, tetrafluoroborate, hexafluorophosphate, nitrate) that provide mild oxidizing conditions. This parameter change enables effective mercury removal while avoiding the strong corrosiveness of conventional sulfur-based or metal sulfide-based scrubbing solutions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite ionic liquid systems combining specific cation-anion pairs that create a synergistic effect for mercury removal. The ionic liquid composition acts as a composite material with tailored properties, providing both the oxidizing environment needed for mercury conversion and the solubility characteristics for effective capture, while maintaining equipment compatibility.
2Reliability
If reduction of inorganic and organomercury to elemental forms followed by scrubbing is used, then mercury removal is achieved, but the process becomes complex and requires multiple steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple functions into a single scrubbing step. The ionic liquid simultaneously performs oxidation of elemental and organomercury species and provides solubility for capture, eliminating the need for separate reduction and scrubbing steps required by conventional methods. This consolidation simplifies the overall process while maintaining high removal efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The ionic liquid scrubbing solution exhibits universal effectiveness against multiple mercury forms (elemental, inorganic, and organomercury) through its mild oxidizing environment. A single ionic liquid composition can handle diverse mercury species that would otherwise require different treatment approaches, thereby reducing process complexity.
3Reliability
If oxidation followed by complexation with sulfur-containing compounds is used, then mercury removal is achieved, but corrosive acids are required which damage equipment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces expensive, equipment-damaging corrosive acids with ionic liquids that can be used in conventional equipment without special corrosion-resistant materials. The ionic liquids act as milder, equipment-friendly alternatives that achieve the same oxidation and complexation functions without the harmful corrosive effects of traditional acid-based systems.
4Manufacturing precision
If high mercury concentration in hydrocarbons is present, then product quality decreases and price is reduced, but current methods cannot effectively remove total mercury from multiple forms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent adjusts the chemical parameters of the scrubbing environment by using ionic liquids with specific oxidizing capabilities and solubility characteristics. This parameter change enables the system to effectively capture total mercury from multiple forms (elemental, inorganic, and organic) that conventional methods cannot handle, thereby achieving the high removal efficiency needed for quality product specification compliance.
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 process achieves high efficiency in removing mercury from hydrocarbon fluids, with capacities up to 20 wt% mercury in the ionic liquid, avoiding the use of corrosive acids and maintaining compatibility with hydrocarbon processing equipment.
Implementation Method 1
The use of certain metal-containing ionic liquids that can extract elemental, organic, and ionic mercury forms by providing a mildly oxidizing environment, allowing for the oxidation and capture of mercury species
Implementation Method 2
contacting the mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed with an ionic liquid... achieving high efficiency in removing mercury from hydrocarbon fluids, with capacities up to 20 wt% mercury in the ionic liquid
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a process for the removal of mercury from a mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed using specifically selected metallate salts immobilised on a solid support materialcomprising, contacting the mercury-containing hydrocarbon fluid feed with a metallate salt having the formula [Q+][(Mx+)n(Ly-)m](nx-my) and separating from the adsorbent a hydrocarbon fluid product having a reduced mercury content compared to the mercury-containing fluid feed.