Patent ID: 8608949
Filing Date: 2013-12-17
Classification: B01D,C10G

Abstract:
1. A process for removing a metal from a vacuum gas oil comprising: (a) contacting the vacuum gas oil comprising the metal with a VGO-immiscible ionic liquid to produce a mixture comprising the vacuum gas oil and the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid, the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid comprising at least one of an imidazolium ionic liquid, a phosphonium ionic liquid, and a pyridinium ionic liquid; and (b) separating the mixture to produce a vacuum gas oil effluent and a VGO-immiscible ionic liquid effluent, the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid effluent comprising the metal; wherein the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid comprises at least one of 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethyl sulfate, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate, 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, tetrabutylphosphonium methane sulfonate, pyridinium p-toluene sulfonate, tetrabutylphosphonium chloride, tetrabutylphosphonium bromide, tributyl(octyl)phosphonium chloride, and tributyl(ethyl)phosphonium diethylphosphate; wherein the metal content of the vacuum gas oil is reduced by at least 9-50% on an elemental basis, wherein the process further comprises contacting the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid effluent with a regeneration solvent and separating the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid effluent from the regeneration solvent to produce an extract stream comprising the metal and a regenerated VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream, wherein the regeneration solvent comprises water and the regenerated VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream comprises water, and wherein the vacuum gas oil effluent comprises VGO-immiscible ionic liquid, the process further comprising washing at least a portion of the vacuum gas oil effluent with water to produce a washed vacuum gas oil stream and a spent water stream, the spent water stream comprising the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid; wherein at least a portion of the spent water stream is at least a portion of the regeneration solvent.