Process for removing mercury from liquid hydrocarbon

Abstract

The continuous process for removing mercury comprises a step of continuously feeding a mercury-containing liquid hydrocarbon to an ionization zone where the elementary mercury is ionized; and a step of continuously feeding the liquid hydrocarbon containing the ionized mercury to a sulfur compound-treatment zone where the ionized mercury is converted to a solid mercury compound. The semi-continuous process for removing mercury comprises a step of continuously feeding a mercury-containing liquid hydrocarbon to an ionization column where the elementary mercury is ionized; and a step of feeding the liquid hydrocarbon containing the ionized mercury to a sulfur compound-treatment tank where the ionized mercury is converted to a solid mercury compound in batch manner. With the above processes, the mercury is removed from the liquid hydrocarbon with ease in a continuous or semi-continuous manner at around ordinary temperature under around ordinary pressure.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.