화학공학소재연구정보센터
Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, Vol.35, No.10, 3697-3701, 1996
Mercury Removal from Oil by Reactive Adsorption
Mercury in heavy condensate or oil causes marketing, processing, and environmental concerns. We have developed an effective process to remove mercury from oil. Laboratory tests show that the process is capable of removing up to 99% of mercury. The process is based on high-temperature chemisorption for selective adsorption of mercury and uses a special CuS/C adsorbent which is effective for removal of most types of mercury compounds. The process is simple and lends itself to integration into the existing LNG plant systems. In the process, the condensate from the stabilizer at 400-500 degrees F and 220 psi is directly passed over the adsorbent at about 10 liquid hourly space velocity (LHSV) for mercury removal before normal heat exchange and storage. At the contemplated operating conditions, the adsorbent can last more than 1 year. Extensive laboratory tests have been conducted to verify the technical feasibility of the process. The adsorbent has been produced using a commercial process in a commercial unit and evaluated in the laboratory thoroughly.