Methods for regeneration of adsorbent material

• US 8,187,991 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Osaheni, John Aibangbee, Fyvie, Thomas Joseph, Haitko, Deborah Ann, O'Neil, Gregory Allen, Glaser, Paul Burchell
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, EDWARD M
• Application Number:
  US12/137,246
• Publication Number:
  US 20090312176A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,448 Days
• Field of Search: 502/22, 502/25, 502/28, 502/29, 502/31, 502/32, 502/33, 502/439, 502/401, 502/515, 502/516, 502/517, 502/518
• US Class Current: 502/31
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/203 Equilibration or regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/103 comprising silica
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3433 of sorbents or filter aids other than those covered by B01J20/3408 - B01J20/3425
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/3475 in the liquid phase
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/58 Use in a single column
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/202 Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/205 Metal content
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/44 Solvents
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 25/12 Recovery of used adsorbent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 502/514 Process applicable either to preparing or to regenerating or to rehabilitating catalyst or sorbent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 502/515 Specific contaminant removal
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 502/518 Carbonaceous contaminant

Abstract

A method of regenerating adsorbent material includes providing a spent adsorbent material and contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition to facilitate removing oil and impurities from the spent solvent material.

Claims

1. A method for regenerating adsorbent material, said method comprising:

providing a spent adsorbent material;

contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition to facilitate removing oil and impurities from said spent adsorbent material; and

directing only the solvent composition through a solvent recovery device to facilitate removing oil from the solvent composition.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein providing a spent adsorbent material comprises:

packing an adsorbent material within an adsorption device; and

directing at least one of an oil and an oil/petroleum ether solution through the adsorption device.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, wherein contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition comprises directing the solvent composition through the adsorbent material packed within the adsorption device.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition comprises contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent that includes at least one polar compound and at least one non-polar compound, wherein the at least one polar compound is selected from the group consisting of acetone;

alcohols, such as isopropanol, ethanol, and methanol;

methylene chloride;

ethyl acetate; and

combinations thereof and the at least one non-polar compound is selected from the group consisting of hexane, heptane, methylcyclopentane, pentane, benzene, toluene, cyclohexane, and combinations thereof.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition comprises contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent that includes from about 0 to about 100 weight % ethyl acetate and from about 0 to about 100 weight % cyclohexane.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition further comprises selecting a solvent composition based on the properties of the spent adsorbent and the properties of the impurities to be removed from the spent adsorbent.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent composition comprises contacting the adsorbent material with a solvent that includes from about 10 to about 30 weight % ethanol and from about 70 to about 90 weight % cyclohexane.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising washing the spent adsorbent material with petroleum ether prior to contacting the adsorbent material with the solvent composition to facilitate removing oil and impurities not adsorbed on said adsorbent material.

9. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising rinsing the adsorbent material with petroleum ether after contacting the adsorbent material with the solvent composition, wherein rinsing the adsorbent material facilitates removing at least a portion of the solvent composition remaining on the adsorbent material.

10. A method for regenerating spent adsorbent material, said method comprising:

inserting absorbent material into an adsorption device;

directing at least one of an oil and an oil/petroleum ether solution through the adsorption device;

directing a first solvent through the adsorption device to facilitate recovering at least a portion of the oil remaining in the adsorption device;

directing a second solvent through the adsorption device;

directing the first solvent through the adsorption device to facilitate removing at least a portion of the second solvent remaining in the adsorption device; and

directing only the first solvent through a solvent recovery device to facilitate removing oil from the first solvent.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein directing a second solvent through the adsorption device comprises directing a second solvent through the adsorption device, wherein the second solvent includes at least one polar component and at least one non-polar component, wherein directing the second solvent through the adsorption device facilitates removing oil, vanadium, nickel, and sulfur compounds from the adsorbent material.