Vanadium Phosphorus Adsorbent for Mercury Removal
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing adsorbents for heavy metal removal in gas streams, such as those from fossil fuel combustion, are ineffective in the presence of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, leading to low capacity and deactivation, particularly for mercury and other toxic heavy metals.
Innovation Solution
A vanadium and phosphorous containing material, supported on amorphous silica-alumina, zeolite, meta-kaolin, alumina, or their combinations, is used to oxidize heavy metals to a state greater than zero, even in the presence of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, with an optional second stage adsorption process.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional adsorbents are used to remove heavy metals from gas streams, then heavy metal removal is achieved, but the adsorbents are easily deactivated by sulfur and nitrogen oxides present in the gas stream
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical parameters of the adsorbent by incorporating vanadium in multiple oxidation states (particularly V4+ and V5+) and phosphorous compounds. This chemical modification enables the adsorbent to resist deactivation by sulfur and nitrogen oxides while maintaining heavy metal removal capability, directly resolving the reliability issue caused by harmful gas components
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite material system combining vanadium compounds, phosphorous compounds, and support materials (such as activated carbon, alumina, silica, or zeolites). This composite structure provides synergistic effects where vanadium performs oxidation and phosphorous enhances stability against sulfur and nitrogen oxides, solving the deactivation problem while maintaining effective heavy metal removal
2Quantity of substance
If conventional adsorbents are used for heavy metal capture, then some heavy metals are removed, but the adsorbents have low capacities and are easily deactivated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the chemical parameters of the adsorbent by incorporating vanadium in multiple oxidation states (V3+, V4+, V5+) and phosphorous compounds. This enables the adsorbent to oxidize elemental mercury to higher oxidation states for enhanced capture while simultaneously resisting deactivation by sulfur and nitrogen oxides, thus increasing both capacity and reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs vanadium compounds as strong oxidizing agents that convert elemental heavy metals (particularly mercury in zero oxidation state) to higher oxidation states. This oxidation process significantly enhances the capture capacity for heavy metals while the phosphorous component protects against deactivation, simultaneously addressing both capacity and reliability concerns
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 vanadium and phosphorous containing material effectively oxidizes and removes heavy metals like mercury from gas streams, achieving high removal efficiency even in the presence of sulfur and nitrogen oxides, with significant reduction of mercury levels in the product stream.
Implementation Method 1
a vanadium and phosphorous containing material which when used in the removal of heavy metal results in oxidation of the heavy metal to an oxidation state greater than zero
Implementation Method 2
an optional second stage for adsorption of oxidized heavy metal
Data Source
AI summary
A composition, containing vanadium, phosphorus and a support is disclosed. A method of preparing such composition is also disclosed. The composition is employed in a process to remove a heavy metal from a gaseous feed stream which can optionally include a separate heavy metal adsorption stage.