Reactive adsorbent and method for removing mercury from hydrocarbon fluids
AssigneeMobil Oil Corporation
InventorsDarrell D. Whitehurst, Tsoung Y. Yan
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Abstract
A method is disclosed for synthesizing a reactive sulfur-containing adsorbent material for removing metals, preferably mercury, from hydrocarbon fluids. The method includes impregnating a porous polystyrene resin with elemental sulfur, and heating the impregnated resin/sulfur mixture to chemically fix the sulfur to the resin. The elemental sulfur may be in solid, liquid, or vapor phase under conditions of contact with the resin. Also disclosed is the reactive adsorbent synthesized by this method. Also, a process is disclosed for removing mercury from hydrocarbon fluids by using a reactive adsorbent of the invention.
Claims9
A process for depleting metal contaminants from a hydrocarbon fluid, comprising the steps of:
- (a) heating an adsorbent, comprising a cross-linked polystyrene resin having a surface area of at least about 200 m.sup.2 /g that has been modified by reaction therewith of elemental sulfur, in contact with a hydrocarbon fluid containing a metal contaminant, under conditions for depleting said metal contaminant from said hydrocarbon fluid;
- and
- (b) recovering a metal-depleted hydrocarbon fluid.
An adsorbent for depleting metal contaminants from hydrocarbon fluids, prepared by a process of reacting a cross-linked polystyrene resin having a surface area of at least about 200 m.sup.2 /g with powdered elemental sulfur.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.