Methods And Systems For Reducing Impurity Metal From A Refinery Electrolyte Solution

Abstract

Disclosed are methods for the reduction of impurity metals from a refinery electrolyte solution. Certain methods comprise contacting a refinery electrolyte solution comprising an impurity metal with a phosphate ester having a structure represented by: wherein R 1 comprises a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or aryl group, and wherein the impurity metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tin and combinations thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of reducing impurity metal from a refinery electrolyte solution, the method comprising contacting a refinery electrolyte solution comprising an impurity metal with a phosphate ester having a structure represented by: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       wherein R 1  comprises a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or aryl group, and wherein the impurity metal is selected from the group consisting of iron, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tin and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein R 1  in the phosphate ester is a branched or linear C6-C18 alkyl group. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the phosphate ester comprises iso-octyl phosphoric acid, 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid, octophenyl phosphoric acid or nonylphenyl phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the phosphate ester comprises iso-octyl phosphoric acid or a C12 alkyl phenylphosphoric acid. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising contacting the refinery electrolyte solution comprising an impurity metal with a di-substituted phosphate ester. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contacting the electrolyte solution with a solubility modifier. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising contacting the electrolyte solution with a kinetic modifier. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the impurity metal is selected from the group consisting of bismuth, antimony, tin and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A method of reducing impurity metal from a refinery electrolyte solution, the method comprising:
 a. bleeding a stream of electrolyte solution with impurities from a refinery process, the electrolyte solution with impurities comprising an impurity metal selected from the group consisting of iron, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tin and combinations thereof; and   b. mixing the electrolyte solution with impurities with a stripped organic solution to provide a loaded organic solution containing at least a portion of the impurities and electrolyte solution with reduced impurities,   wherein the stripped organic solution comprises a phosphate ester having a structure represented by:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  comprises a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or aryl group. 
       
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein R 1  in the phosphate ester is a branched or linear C6-C12 alkyl group. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein the phosphate ester comprises iso-octyl phosphoric acid, 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid, octophenyl phosphoric acid or nonylphenyl phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the phosphate ester comprises iso-octyl phosphoric acid. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the phosphate ester comprises phenylphosphoric acid. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising mixing the loaded organic solution with a strip solution to provide a strip solution containing impurity metal and stripped organic. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the stripped organic is mixed with fresh electrolyte solution with impurities. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the strip solution containing the impurity metal is reused to be mixed with additional loaded organic solution. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising returning the electrolyte solution with reduced impurities to the refinery process. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein mixing the electrolyte solution with impurities with a stripped organic solution comprises mixing in a mixing tank to provide an emulsion of the loaded organic solution and electrolyte solution with reduced impurities. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further comprising separating the loaded organic solution and electrolyte solution with reduced impurities in a settler. 
     
     
         20 . A method of reducing impurity metal from a refinery electrolyte solution, the method comprising:
 a. bleeding a stream of electrolyte solution with impurities from a copper refinery process, the electrolyte solution with impurities comprising an impurity metal selected from the group consisting of iron, antimony, arsenic, bismuth, tin and combinations thereof;   b. mixing in a mixing tank the electrolyte solution with impurities with a stripped organic solution to provide an emulsion comprising a loaded organic solution containing at least a portion of the impurities and electrolyte solution with reduced impurities, wherein the stripped organic solution comprises a phosphate ester having a structure represented by:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  comprises a linear, branched or cyclic alkyl or aryl group; 
         c. separating the loaded organic solution and electrolyte solution with reduced impurities in a settler; 
         d. returning the electrolyte with reduced impurities to the copper refinery process; 
         e. mixing in a mixing tank the loaded organic solution and a strip solution to provide an emulsion comprising a strip solution containing the impurity metal and stripped organic; and 
         f. separating the strip solution containing the impurity metal and stripped organic.