Patent ID: 7476365

Claim:
An apparatus for separating mercury from a raw natural gas stream containing mercury and other undesired constituents comprising: a first separator for receiving the raw natural gas stream and separating from said natural gas hydrocarbon condensate contained in the gas stream; a treating unit in fluid communication with the first separator for removing any acid gases from said natural gas; a second separator in fluid communication with the treating unit to remove additional hydrocarbon and water condensates from the natural gas stream; a dehydrator in fluid communication with the second separator for dehydrating said natural gas stream; a cooler for reducing the temperature of the natural gas stream to condense hydrocarbons and mercury carried in the gas stream; and a third separator for removing mercury from said cooled natural gas stream, the third separator including a vessel having at least one inlet for receiving the natural gas from said cooler, at least one outlet for discharging processed natural gas from the vessel, a deflector disposed proximate said vessel inlet in the path of the gas stream and a mercury trap disposed at the bottom of said vessel for receiving and collecting condensed mercury deflected from said natural gas stream, wherein said vessel includes a hydrocarbon condensate outlet for discharging separated hydrocarbons.