Mercury is a highly toxic metal with damaging effects even at extremely low concentrations. Mercury naturally occurs in gas and oil deposits in a wide range of concentrations in natural gas and crude oil. Mercury in hydrocarbons poses a number of technological and environmental problems. Contamination of equipment and products with this extremely toxic element, poisoning of catalysts, and initiates intensive corrosion of technological equipment, thereby enhancing accident risk. Metal mercury causes rapid electrochemical corrosion of aluminum alloys (e.g., heat exchangers) and liquid metal embrittlement (LME) of steel leading to heavy accidents. Mercury removal adsorbents are materials designed to capture and remove mercury from various sources such as natural gas, flue gas, crude oil, wastewater, and industrial processes.
There are different types of mercury removal adsorbents available, including activated carbon, zeolites, sulfur-impregnated activated carbon, and other specialized materials. These adsorbents function by chemically binding with mercury species through various mechanisms such as chemical reactions, surface complexation, and physical adsorption.
The standard adsorption mechanism is a chemical reaction between mercury and active sulfur included in the adsorbent active phase. This is a non-regenerative process with an irreversible mercury capture.
This type of Mercury removal adsorbents are regenerative adsorbents products that contain silver on the outside surface of the adsorbents. Mercury from the process fluid (either gas or liquid) amalgamates with the silver and a mercury-free dry process fluid is obtained at the bed outlet.