Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing and recovering mercury, an impurity, from a hydrocarbon feedstream containing oxygen, such as introduced during hydraulic fracturing. Mercury is selectively removed to very low levels of concentration from fluid streams such as natural gas, cracked gas, hydrogen or naphtha by passage of the stream through an adsorbent bed containing particles of a zeolitic molecular sieve preferably having pore diameters of at least 3.0 angstroms and in which the zeolite crystallites are formed into an aggregate (cylindrical or beads) which contain ionic or elemental silver. These adsorbent particles maintain their capacity for removal of mercury despite the presence of oxygen.

Abstract: A process is presented for the removal of contaminants like sulfur compounds from hydrocarbons. The sulfur compounds are removed from hydrocarbons that may be a feed to cracking units. A feed stream is treated with a clinoptilolite or a barium exchanged zeolite adsorbent to effectively remove carbon disulfides from the feed hydrocarbon. The adsorbent may be regenerated by a hydrogen stream, a hydrocarbon stream or a mixture thereof.

Abstract: A process for the providing a regenerant gas stream for a regenerable adsorbent used to remove water and hydrogen sulfide from a reactor effluent in a catalytic dehydrogenation process is described. The reactor effluent is compressed in a compressor to provide a compressed effluent. The compressed effluent may be treated to remove chlorides, and then passed to a dryer zone having a regenerable adsorbent. A regenerant gas stream is used to desorb the water and hydrogen sulfide and the spent regenerant stream may be passed to a cleaning zone having a sorbent configured to remove hydrogen sulfide from the spent regenerant stream. The cleaned regenerant gas stream may be recycled to the dryer zone to desorb and/or regenerate the regenerable adsorbent.

Abstract: A process for the providing a regenerant gas stream for a regenerable adsorbent used to remove water and hydrogen sulfide from a reactor effluent in a catalytic dehydrogenation process is described. The reactor effluent is compressed in a compressor to provide a compressed effluent. The compressed effluent may be treated to remove chlorides, and then passed to a dryer zone having a regenerable adsorbent. A regenerant gas stream is used to desorb the water and hydrogen sulfide and the spent regenerant stream may be passed to a cleaning zone having a sorbent configured to remove hydrogen sulfide from the spent regenerant stream. The cleaned regenerant gas stream may be recycled to the dryer zone to desorb and/or regenerate the regenerable adsorbent.

Abstract: A process for the providing a regenerant gas stream for a regenerable adsorbent used to remove water and hydrogen sulfide from a reactor effluent in a catalytic dehydrogenation process is described. The reactor effluent is compressed in a compressor to provide a compressed effluent. The compressed effluent may be treated to remove chlorides, and then passed to a dryer zone having a regenerable adsorbent. A regenerant gas stream is used to desorb the water and hydrogen sulfide and the spent regenerant stream may be passed to a cleaning zone having a sorbent configured to remove hydrogen sulfide from the spent regenerant stream. The cleaned regenerant gas stream may be recycled to the dryer zone to desorb and/or regenerate the regenerable adsorbent.

Abstract: A process for treatment of a natural gas stream, or other methane containing stream that passes through a guard bed for removal of mercury and hydrolysis of COS, followed by treatment with an absorbent unit containing an amine solvent for removal of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. The gas is then dried by a molecular sieve bed. The regeneration gas for the molecular sieve adsorbent bed is chilled to remove liquid hydrocarbons and sulfur compounds. The process is accomplished without the use of an absorbent unit to remove the sulfur compounds.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. The method includes removing at least a portion of glycols from a hydrocarbon stream. The hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process. The method according to certain aspects includes controlling the level of glycols and in particular, dimethyl ethers of polyethylene glycol in the hydrocarbon stream.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. The method includes removing at least a portion of carbon dioxide from a hydrocarbon stream. The hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process. The method according to the invention provides certain aspects includes controlling the level of carbon dioxide in the hydrocarbon stream and in a fuel stream that is first sent to a combustion zone and then to the supersonic reactor. The results of removal of carbon dioxide include maintaining the shock location in the supersonic reactor and maintaining the acetylene yield without the production of undesired products such as carbon monoxide.

Abstract: A process for removing at least one product from coal tar is described. The process involves extraction with an extraction agent or adsorption with an adsorbent. The extraction agent includes at least one of amphiphilic block copolymers, cyclodextrins, functionalized cyclodextrins, and cyclodextrin-functionalized polymers, and the adsorbent includes exfoliated graphite oxide, thermally exfoliated graphite oxide or intercalated graphite compounds.

Abstract: A process for purifying at least one product from coal tar is described. The process involves separating a coal tar fraction having a boiling point in the range of about 180° C. to about 230° C. into an acidic portion and a non-acidic portion by contacting the fraction with a caustic compound. The acidic portion is separated into a cresol portion and a xylenol portion, and the non-acidic portion is separated into a naphthalene portion and a naphthalene co-boiler portion. The acidic portion and the non-acidic portions are separated by contacting with an adsorbent comprising small, discrete crystallites, the adsorbent having less than 10 wt % amorphous binder component. The various portions can be separated in a similar manner.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods and apparatuses for treating a hydrocarbon-containing feed stream are provided. The method comprises the steps of contacting the hydrocarbon-containing feed stream comprising C4, C5, C6, and/or C7 hydrocarbons, water, and contaminants with a Linde Type A molecular sieve at dehydration conditions effective to remove water and form a dehydrated feed stream. The contaminants comprise oxygenates, sulfur compounds, or combinations thereof. The dehydrated feed stream is contacted with a sodium faujisite molecular sieve having a silica/alumina molar ratio of from about 2 to about 2.5 at absorption conditions effective to remove the contaminants and form a dehydrated contaminant-depleted feed stream.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for removing and recovering mercury, an impurity, from a hydrocarbon feedstream containing oxygen, such as introduced during hydraulic fracturing. Mercury is selectively removed to very low levels of concentration from fluid streams such as natural gas, cracked gas, hydrogen or naphtha by passage of the stream through an adsorbent bed containing particles of a zeolitic molecular sieve preferably having pore diameters of at least 3.0 angstroms and in which the zeolite crystallites are formed into an aggregate (cylindrical or beads) which contain ionic or elemental silver. These adsorbent particles maintain their capacity for removal of mercury despite the presence of oxygen.

Abstract: A process for removing at least one product from coal tar is described. The process involves extraction with an extraction agent or adsorption with an adsorbent. The extraction agent includes at least one of amphiphilic block copolymers, cyclodextrins, functionalized cyclodextrins, and cyclodextrin-functionalized polymers, and the adsorbent includes exfoliated graphite oxide, thermally exfoliated graphite oxide or intercalated graphite compounds.

Abstract: A process for treating a pitch fraction from coal tar is described. The pitch fraction is contacted with a solvent, an extraction agent, or an adsorbent to remove at least one contaminant, such as oxygenate compounds, nitrogen containing compounds, and sulfur containing compounds. The solvent can be an ionic liquid, the extraction agent can be at least one of amphiphilic block copolymers, cyclodextrins, functionalized cyclodextrins, and cyclodextrin-functionalized polymers, and the adsorbent can be exfoliated graphite oxide, thermally exfoliated graphite oxide or intercalated graphite compounds.

Abstract: A process for removing at least one contaminant from coal tar is described. The process involves extraction with an extraction agent or adsorption with an adsorbent. The extraction agent includes at least one of amphiphilic block copolymers, inclusion complexes of poly(methyl methacrylate) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cyclodextrins, functionalized cyclodextrins, and cyclodextrin-functionalized polymers, and the adsorbent includes exfoliated graphite oxide, thermally exfoliated graphite oxide or intercalated graphite compounds.

Abstract: A process for treating water used in a coal tar process is described. The process involves treating the water with extraction with an extraction agent or adsorption with an adsorbent. The extraction agent includes at least one of amphiphilic block copolymers, cyclodextrins, functionalized cyclodextrins, and soluble cyclodextrin-functionalized polymers, and the adsorbent includes insoluble cyclodextrin-functionalized polymers, exfoliated graphite oxide, thermally exfoliated graphite oxide or intercalated graphite compounds.

Abstract: A process for purifying at least one product from coal tar is described. The process involves separating a coal tar fraction having a boiling point in the range of about 180° C. to about 230° C. into an acidic portion and a non-acidic portion by contacting the fraction with a caustic compound. The acidic portion is separated into a cresol portion and a xylenol portion, and the non-acidic portion is separated into a naphthalene portion and a naphthalene co-boiler portion. The acidic portion and the non-acidic portions are separated by contacting with an adsorbent comprising small, discrete crystallites, the adsorbent having less than 10 wt % amorphous binder component. The various portions can be separated in a similar manner.

Abstract: A process for removing mercury from a coal tar product is described. A coal tar stream is contacted with a solvent to remove a product, and the product stream is contacted with an adsorbent material to remove elemental mercury, organic mercury compounds, and/or inorganic mercury compounds. Alternatively, the coal tar stream can be treated in a catalytic distillation zone of a fractionation zone.

Abstract: Methods of treating coal tar using reactive distillation are described. The methods include introducing a coal tar stream into a reactive distillation zone which has a reaction zone and a separation zone. The reaction zone contains a hydrotreating catalyst and an absorbent. The coal tar stream is contacted with a hydrogen stream in the reaction zone to remove contaminants from the coal tar stream, and the treated coal tar stream is separated into at least two fractions.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for converting methane in a feed stream to acetylene. The method includes removing at least a portion of acids from a hydrocarbon stream. The hydrocarbon stream is introduced into a supersonic reactor and pyrolyzed to convert at least a portion of the methane to acetylene. The reactor effluent stream may be treated to convert acetylene to another hydrocarbon process. The method according to certain aspects includes controlling the level of acids in the hydrocarbon stream by use of adsorbents or basic solutions.