Process for removing metals from vacuum gas oil
A process for removing a metal from a vacuum gas oil feed includes contacting the vacuum gas oil feed comprising the metal with a VGO-immiscible ionic liquid to produce a vacuum gas oil and VGO-immiscible ionic liquid mixture, and separating the mixture to produce a vacuum gas oil effluent having a reduced metal content relative to the vacuum gas oil feed.
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.
2. The process of claim 1 further comprising drying at least a portion of at least one of the regenerated VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream and the spent water stream to produce a dried VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream.
3. The process of claim 2 further comprising recycling at least a portion of the dried VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream to the metal removal contacting step.
4. 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 a imidazolium ionic liquid, a phosphonium ionic liquid, and a pyridinium ionic liquid;
(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; and
at least one of:
(c) 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;
(d) 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; and
(e) drying at least a portion of at least one of the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid effluent, the spent water stream, and the regenerated VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream to produce a dried VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream.
5. The process of claim 4 further comprising recycling at least a portion of at least one of the VGO-immiscible ionic liquid effluent, the spent water stream, the regenerated VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream, and the dried VGO-immiscible ionic liquid stream to the metal removal contacting step.