Process for removing heavy metals from process streams

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9908084-B2
Application number	US-201314414959-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2013
Priority date	Jul 26, 2012
Publication date	Mar 6, 2018
Grant date	Mar 6, 2018

Abstract

A process for removing heavy metals from process fluids includes passing a heavy-metal-containing process fluid, including a reductant selected from hydrogen and carbon monoxide, at an inlet temperature ≦125° C. over a sorbent including
(i) 4-75% by weight of one or more sulphided copper compounds selected from sulphided basic copper carbonate, sulphided copper hydroxide, sulphided copper oxide or mixtures of these, (ii) optionally a support material, and (iii) a binder and the binder content of the sorbent is in the range 5-30% by weight,

wherein essentially all of the sulphided copper is in the form of CuS and the total metal sulphide content of the sorbent, other than copper sulphide, is ≦5% wt.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A process for removing heavy metals from process fluids, comprising passing a heavy-metal-containing process fluid comprising a reductant that is hydrogen or carbon monoxide at an inlet temperature of 125° C. or less over a sorbent having a form of extrudates or granules, wherein the sorbent comprises:
(i) 5-50% by weight of sulfided basic copper carbonate powder,
(ii) a powdered support material, and
(iii) 5-30% by weight of a binder,
wherein essentially all of the sulfided copper is in the form of CuS and the total metal sulfide content of the sorbent, other than copper sulfide, is 5% wt or less.

2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the sorbent comprises a support material that is alumina, hydrated alumina, titania, zirconia, silica or aluminosilicate, or a mixture of two or more of these.

3. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the sorbent comprises a first binder and a second binder, wherein the first binder is a cement binder and the second binder is a high aspect ratio binder having an aspect ratio of greater than 2.

4. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the first binder is a calcium aluminate cement binder.

5. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the second binder is an aluminosilicate clay.

6. The process according to claim 3 , wherein the relative amounts of the first and second binder are in the range of 1:1 to 3:1.

7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the total metal sulfide content of the sorbent, other than copper sulfide, is 0.5% wt or less.

8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the sulfur density of the sorbent is in the range of 50 to 200 kg S/m 3 .

9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process fluid is a liquid hydrocarbon stream containing dissolved hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide.

10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process fluid is a gaseous stream containing hydrogen and/or carbon monoxide.

11. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the gaseous stream comprises a reductant in the range of 1-100 vol %.

12. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the process fluid is a synthesis gas stream.

13. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the process fluid is a refinery vent stream, a refinery cracker stream, a blast furnace gas, a reducing gas, or a hydrogen-rich gas stream.

14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process fluid inlet temperature is 100° C. or less.

15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process fluid further comprises water in the range of 0.02 to 1 vol %.

16. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the gaseous stream comprises a reductant in the range of 5-95 vol %.

17. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the gaseous stream comprises a reductant in the range of 1-49 vol %.

18. The process according to claim 10 , wherein the gaseous stream comprises a reductant in the range of 50-95 vol %.

19. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the process fluid inlet temperature is 95° C. or less.

20. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the sulfided basic copper carbonate powder has an average particle size D 50 in a range of 10-100 μm, and the powdered support material has a particle size of 5-65 μm.

Assignees

• Johnson Matthey Plc

Inventors

• Fish Andrew
• Foster Andrea Lara
• Lunn Matthew David Gwydion
• Mansfield Rachel

Classifications

• C01B2203/042

  Purification by adsorption on solids · CPC title

• B01J20/0285

  Sulfides of compounds other than those provided for in B01J20/045 · CPC title

• B01D2256/16

  Hydrogen · CPC title

• B01J20/3028

  Granulating, agglomerating or aggregating · CPC title

• C10G45/22

  with hydrogen dissolved or suspended in the oil · CPC title