Process for the removal and recovery of mercury from hydrocarbon streams

A process for recovering and removing mercury from a hydrocarbon feedstream comprising C.sub.1 -C.sub.10 hydrocarbons, water, and mercury, said process comprising the steps of:

• a) separating the hydrocarbon feedstream in a separation zone to provide a gaseous stream comprising C.sub.1 -C.sub.3 hydrocarbons and a liquid hydrocarbon stream comprising C.sub.3 + hydrocarbons, both said gaseous stream and said liquid hydrocarbon stream comprising mercury and water;
• b) passing said gaseous stream to a first gas purifier bed of at least two gas purifier beds each of said gas purifier beds being a fixed bed containing a first regenerable adsorbent selective for the adsorption of mercury and water to provide a treated gas effluent having a reduced amount of mercury relative to said gaseous stream and passing said liquid hydrocarbon stream to a first liquid purifier bed of at least two liquid purifier beds each liquid purifier bed being a fixed bed containing a second regenerable adsorbent selective for the adsorption of mercury and water to produce a treated liquid effluent having a reduced amount of mercury relative to said liquid hydrocarbon stream;
• c) terminating prior to mercury breakthrough the passing of said gaseous stream to said first gas purifier bed and terminating prior to mercury breakthrough the passing of said liquid hydrocarbon stream to said first liquid purifier bed;
• d) passing a heated regenerant stream to said first gas purifier bed to desorb mercury and provide a first spent regenerant stream and passing said first spent regenerant stream to a condenser/separator to provide a cooled regenerant stream, a water stream, and a mercury stream;
• e) passing said cooled regenerant stream to a first secondary adsorption bed of at least two secondary adsorption beds each of said secondary adsorption beds containing a third regenerable adsorbent selective for the adsorption of mercury to produce a purified gas stream containing less than about 0.1 .mu.g/Nm.sup.3 of mercury;
• f) terminating the passing of said heated regenerant stream to said first gas purifier bed, terminating the passing of the first spent regenerant stream to the cooler/condenser, and passing said heated regenerant stream to said first liquid purifier bed to regenerate said first liquid purifier bed and withdrawing a second spent regenerant stream and passing the second spent regenerant stream to the cooler/condenser;
• g) terminating the passing of said heated regenerant stream to said first liquid purifier bed, terminating the passing of the second spent regenerant stream to the cooler/condenser, terminating the passing of said cooled regenerant stream to said first secondary adsorption bed prior to mercury breakthrough, passing said heated regenerant stream to said first secondary adsorption bed to regenerate said first secondary adsorption bed and withdrawing a third spent regenerant stream and passing the third spent regenerant stream to the cooler/condenser;
• h) terminating the passing of said heated regenerant stream to said first secondary adsorption bed, terminating the passing of the third spent regenerant stream to the cooler/condenser and heating at least a portion of the purified gas stream to provide a portion of said heated regenerant stream;
• i) repeating steps (b) through (h) to provide a continuous process.