Mercury Removal from Oily Solids via Sulfidic Phase Separation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for treating mercury-containing solids in the oil and gas industry are inadequate in effectively reducing mercury content, leading to inefficient disposal and potential environmental hazards.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the use of flocculants, sulfidic compounds, and demulsifiers to mix with mercury-containing solids, forming a mixture that separates into phases with reduced mercury content, allowing for the recovery of treated oil and solids with lower mercury concentrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional disposal methods (landfill, incineration, pyrolysis) are used for Hg-containing solids, then disposal can be performed, but mercury content cannot be reduced and environmental hazards remain
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts mercury from solids by mixing with treating agents (sulfidic compounds, flocculants, demulsifiers) that bind to and separate mercury, transferring it from the solid phase to removable liquid or sludge phases that can then be disposed of separately, leaving treated solids with reduced mercury content
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses treating agents as intermediaries between the mercury-containing solids and the disposal process. These agents (sulfidic compounds, flocculants, demulsifiers) mediate the separation by binding to mercury and facilitating its removal through phase separation, making the disposal process more effective and environmentally safe
2Object-affected harmful factors
If treating agents are added to reduce mercury content, then mercury removal efficiency improves, but process complexity and treatment steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple treating agents (sulfidic compounds, flocculants, and demulsifiers) into a single treatment process that simultaneously achieves mercury binding, flocculation, and phase separation. This merged approach consolidates what could be multiple separate treatment steps into one integrated process, reducing overall complexity while maintaining high mercury removal efficiency
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 effectively reduces mercury content in both oil and solid phases, enabling safer disposal and recovery of treated materials with significantly lower mercury levels.
Implementation Method 1
mixing the solids containing an first amount of mercury with at least a treating agent selected from flocculants, sulfidic compounds, demulsifiers, and combinations thereof
Implementation Method 2
the sulfidic compound when dissolved in water, yields S2−, SH−, Sx2−, or SxH− anions
Implementation Method 3
mixing the solids containing an first amount of mercury with at least a treating agent selected from flocculants, sulfidic compounds, demulsifiers, and combinations thereof, forming a mixture
Implementation Method 4
mixing the solids containing an first amount of mercury with at least a treating agent selected from flocculants, sulfidic compounds, demulsifiers, and combinations thereof
Implementation Method 5
separating the mixture to obtain a first phase containing treated oil having an amount of mercury less than 50% of the first amount of mercury and a second phase containing treated solids having a reduced amount of mercury
Data Source
AI summary
Oil is recovered from a mercury containing Hg-containing solids containing abradants by mixing the solids with a sulfidic compound in a molar ratio of sulfur compound to mercury from 5:1 to 5,000:1, and the sulfidic compound when dissolved in water, yields S2-, SH—, Sx2-, or SxH— anions, and optionally a solvent, forming a mixture. The mixture is then separated to recover a first phase containing treated oil in water, and a second phase containing treated abradants having a reduced concentration of mercury. In one embodiment, the treated abradants contain less than 100 ppmw mercury. The abradants are provided by removing at least a portion of a mercury-containing coating from a surface by abradant blasting, laser ablation, laser thermal desorption, and sponge jet blasting.