United States Patent [191 [11] Patent Number: 4,605,812 Nowack Et A1
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
United States Patent [191 [11] Patent Number: 4,605,812 Nowack et a1. [45] Date of Patent: Aug. 12, 1986 [54] PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF ARSENIC 4,532,115 7/ 1985 Nishino et a1. .................... .. 423/210 FROM GASES FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS [75] Inventors: G. P. Nowack; M. M. Johnson, both 18784 V1982 J8 _ pan 208/253 °f Bamesv?le, Okla- 77627 5/1982 Japan . 423/210 [73] Assignee: Phillips Petroleum Company’ 168034 4/ 1985 Japan . 423/210 Bartlesvme’ Okla 1119720 10/1984 U.S.S.R. ............................ .. 423/210 [21] Appl‘ No’: 617,430 OTHER PUBLICATIONS [22] Filed: Jun_ 5, 1984 “Reactions of Hydrogen with Organic Compounds - Over Copper-Chrommm Ox1de and Nickel Catalysts”, [51] Int. C1.4 ..................... .. C07C 7/148; C10G 29/04 H. Adkins’ 1937, pp. 11_25~ [52] U.S. C1. .................................. .. 585/845; 423/210; “Girdler Catalysts», Girdler Chemical’ Inc" Louisville, [58] Field of Search """" “Advanced Inorganic Chemistry”, F. A. Cotton and G. ’ ’ Wilkinson, Second Edition, 1966, p. 823. [56] References Cited Kirk-Othmer, “Encyclopedia of Chemical Technol P ogy”,“Comprehenslve V01. 3, InorganicEdltlOll, Chem1stry”, J. andC. Bailar et 2,511,2882,513,508 7/19506/1950 M01111]Mornll et6t 81.a1. ....................... ... 252/447252/431 a] " ’ pp ' ' 2,781,297 2/1957 Appell ...... .. 208/253 P - - _ H_ 2,920,050 1/1960 Blacet et a1. 252/447 Ag'flwgztlglféggrlggggMygsetz 3,112,998 12/1963 Grosskopf.. 23/254 Attome em or Firm~K K B and 3,542,669 11/1970 DeFeo .......... .. .. 208/91 y’ g ' - - r es 3,758,606 9/1973 Horowitz et al. 585/950 ’ 3,812,652 5/1974 Carret a1 ..... .. 55/68 [57] ABSTRACT 3,833,498 9/1974 Stahfeld .... .. 208/253 Arsines are removed from streams of hydrocarbons or 4,046,679 9/ 1977 Young 203/251 H _inert gases by contacting the streams with copper (II) 4,075,085 2/ 1978 Young . .. 208/253 chromite catalyst 1 4,088,734 5/ 1978 Gadelle et a1. 423/210 M ' 4,354,927 10/ 1982 Shih et a1. ..... .. 208/253 4,462,896 7/1984 Kitagawa et a1. ................ .. 208/253 21 Claims, No Drawings 4,605,812 1 2 other preferred embodiment the removal of arsenic PROCESS FOR REMOVAL OF ARSENIC FROM impurities from a hydrocarbon stream which is to be GASES further processed by contact with a noble metal catalyst prevents poisoning of said noble metal by arsenic impu This invention relates to the treatment of various rities. Streams of unsaturated hydrocarbons such as gases for the removal of arsenic impurities. In an em ole?ns (including mono-ole?ns and/or diole?ns) can be bodiment, the invention relates to methods of removing treated by embodiments of the present invention. Vari arsenic impurities from petroleum fractions. ous suitable process conditions can be employed in the BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION practice of the invention, depending upon the nature of 10 the streams to be puri?ed and the characteristics of the The presence of arsenic in its various chemical forms catalytic sorbent. as an impurity in products or feed stocks can be detri The present invention ef?ciently removes at least a mental to the use of such products or feed stocks. For substantial portion of arsine from such streams in the - example, the presence of arsenic in even small quantities various forms in which it can be present, e.g. arsine is undesirable in industrial gases, hydrocarbon feed 5 (AsH3) and hydrocarbyl arsines. The arsines involved stocks, fuels, natural gases, lique?ed petroleum gases, can be characterized by the formula AsRxH3_x, (LPG) etc. Also, the presence of arsenic in industrial wherein R is a hydrocarbyl group having from 1 to effluent streams such as off-gases from re?nery and about 8 carbon atoms and x is O, l or 2. The hydrocarbyl gasi?cation processes and the like may create health groups can include any radical consisting of carbon and hazards and/or might be subject to environmental con 20 hydrogen, such as, eg alkyl, cycloalkyl and aryl trols. - _ groups. Since the exact state in which arsine impurities Most crude oils and shale oils contain arsenic in one are present in various streams to be puri?ed is not al form or another, typically as arsine and/ or alkyl arsines, ways known and may even vary during processing, thus when such oil is cracked, fractionated or otherwise such impurities will be referred to herein simply as treated to separate petroleum fractions, the resulting 25 “arsines,” to include arsine and hydrocarbyl arsines. petroleum fractions will contain arsenic. When such petroleum fractions are to be subjected to combustion DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE or further treatment, particularly when the treatment INVENTION involves a catalyst comprising a noble metal, the pres The present invention can be used to purify any suit ence of arsenic is harmful since it can poison the noble able gaseous or liquid stream containing arsines. The metal catalyst. The presence of arsenic is particularly invention is particularly effective in the puri?cation of harmful in hydrocarbon fractions which are subjected hydrocarbon streams including natural gas and gaseous to further processing in the presence of a catalyst com petroleum fractions comprising hydrocarbons having prising palladium or platinum. Various methods of re from 1 to about 9 carbon atoms, such as, e.g. methane, moving arsenic impurities from gaseous or liquid 35 ethane, propane and butane, which are to be subjected streams have been developed, but improved processes to processing with catalysts comprising noble metals. In are still desired. an embodiment, petroleum fractions comprising hydro SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION carbons having from 6 to about 9 carbon atoms can be puri?ed prior to their entry into a dehydrogenation or An object of this invention is to provide an improved dehydrocyclization process. Non-oxidative gases from process for the removal of arsenic impurities from gase coal gasification or natural gases can also be treated by ous or liquid streams of various chemical compositions. the method of the present invention for removal of Another object is to provide a process for the removal arsenic impurities. Various inert and combustible gases of arsenic impurities from gaseous hydrocarbon can be puri?ed, including inert gases, (e.g. He, Ar, N2), streams, particularly light ole?n streams which are to be 45 carbon oxides, hydrogen, and the like. However, cer subjected to catalytic hydrogenation for removal of tain materials which may cause adverse reactions with impurities such as small amounts of diole?ns or acety the catalytic sorbent should be avoided, e.g. sulfur com— lenes. A further object of this invention is to provide a pounds such as S0; and H25, and oxides of nitrogen. process for the removal of arsenic impurities from gase ous or liquid streams of hydrocarbons by contacting 50 Catalytic Sorbent or Reactant-Adsorbent such streams with a catalytic sorbent. Other objects, The catalytic sorbent useful in this invention com advantages and features of the invention will be readily prises copper (II) chromite, represented by the formula apparent to one skilled in the art from the following Cu(CrO2)2. The copper (II) chromite can be used as detailed description of the invention and the appended such (with or without promoters) or on a carrier. This claims. 55 compound can be prepared by various well-known In accordance with the invention, arsines can be re procedures including the decomposition of copper am moved from gaseous or liquid streams comprising inert monium chromate, precipitated copper ammonium or combustible compounds or elements by contacting chromium carbonates or copper-chromium nitrates, or such streams with a catalytic sorbent comprising copper by grinding and heating together copper (II) oxide and (II) chromite. Sorbent comprising copper (II) chromite chromium (III) oxide. Preparative methods involving can be contacted with the streams in any suitable form, the coprecipitation of copper and chromium are pres preferably ?xed beds, in which said copper chromite ently preferred, as maximum surface area and maximum can be composited, preferably with stabilizing and/or stability of the +2 valence of copper are obtained promoting materials selected from the group consisting thereby. of oxides of alkaline earth metals, i.e. barium, strontium, 65 In a preferred embodiment the copper chromite is calcium and magnesium, preferably barium oxide. In a promoted by at least one alkaline earth metal oxide, i.e. preferred embodiment, a gaseous stream of hydrocar an oxide of barium, strontium, calcium or magnesium, bons is puri?ed by contact with said sorbents. In an preferably barium oxide. The alkaline earth metal oxide 4,605,812 3 4 tends to stabilize the copper in the plus 2 oxidation state replacing the sorbent with fresh material or regenerat and prevent its reduction to a less active form in the plus ing the sorbent, e.g., by heating with oxygen so as to 1 oxidation state while the catalyst is in use. The pres convert arsenic to a volatile arsenic oxide and to re ence of the alkaline earth metal oxide also makes the move it. copper (II) chromite more resistant to abrasion and Suitable sorbents comprising copper chromite materi disintegration due to the formation of Cu3As2 while in als can be designed to purify streams containing arsenic use. The alkaline earth metal oxides, when used, can be impurities in almost any concentration. However, this coprecipitated with the copper and chromium in the preferred preparative method. process is most effective in removing relatively small concentrations of impurities which are not amenable to Such copper chromite materials are available com mercially in either promoted or non-promoted forms removal by other chemical methods. Generally, the from suppliers such as United Catalysts, Inc., Louis concentration of arsenic in the stream to be puri?ed is in ville, Ky.