Patent ID: 8404106

Claim:
A method for regenerating an alkali metal salt reagent, comprising: a) receiving a hydrocarbon feedstream having an API gravity of at least about 20, the hydrocarbon feedstream including at least about 7.5 wt % of alkali metal salt particles, the alkali metal salt particles comprising alkali metal hydrogen sulfide particles; b) washing the hydrocarbon feedstream with water to form a hydrocarbon product stream and an aqueous alkali metal salt stream containing alkali metal salt; c) treating at least a portion of the aqueous alkali metal salt stream with carbon dioxide under effective conditions to form an aqueous alkali carbonate stream; d) mixing the aqueous alkali carbonate stream with regenerated calcium oxide under effective conditions to form an aqueous alkali metal hydroxide and calcium carbonate solids; e) separating the calcium carbonate from the aqueous alkali metal hydroxide; and f) heating the calcium carbonate under effective conditions to form regenerated calcium oxide, wherein at least a portion of the regenerated calcium oxide is used for said mixing with aqueous alkali carbonate.