Use of dilute aqueous solutions of alkali polysulfides to remove trace amounts of mercury from liquid hydrocarbons
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorTsoung Y. Yan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed is a method of removing mercury from contaminated liquid hydrocarbons (natural gas condensate) by contacting them with a dilute aqueous solution of alkali metal sulfide salt and recovering the treated liquid hydrocarbon. The addition of alkali metal hydroxide enhances the phase separation of hydrocarbon and aqueous solution.
Claims19
A method for removing mercury from a mercury-contaminated liquid hydrocarbon comprising contacting it with an aqueous dilute solution of alkali metal sulfide salts and separating a liquid hydrocarbon phase substantially free of mercury from said mixture of mercury-contaminated liquid hydrocarbon and aqueous dilute alkali metal sulfide solution.
A method for removing mercury from a mercury-contaminated liquid hydrocarbon comprising:
- (a) intimately contacting said liquid hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal sulfide salt for a period of time sufficient for said mercury and said sulfide to react to form insoluble mercury-sulfur compounds;
- (b) separating said liquid hydrocarbon and said aqueous solution into separate phases;
- and
- (c) recovering said liquid hydrocarbon.
A method for removing mercury from a mercury-contaminated liquid hydrocarbon comprising:
- (a) intimately contacting said liquid hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal sulfide salt for a period of time sufficient for said mercury and said sulfide to react to form insoluble mercury-sulfur compounds;
- (b) intimately mixing with said aqueous sulfide solution either before or after mixing with said liquid hydrocarbon an alkali metal salt or hydroxide;
- (c) separating said liquid hydrocarbon and said aqueous solution into separate phases;
- and
- (d) recovering said liquid hydrocarbon.
A method for removing mercury from a liquid hydrocarbon comprising enulsifying said liquid hydrocarbon with an aqueous solution of an alkali metal polysulfide and separating a liquid hydrocarbon phase substantially free of mercury from said emulsified mixture of liquid hydrocarbon and aqueous solution of alkali metal polysulfide.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.