Cluster-Structured, Sulfur Scavenging Composition and Processes for Scavenging Sulfhydryl Moieties in Hydrocarbon Streams

Abstract

This invention pertains to processes and compositions for scavenging sulfhydryl moieties such as hydrogen sulfide from hydrocarbon streams, especially gas streams.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A sulfhydryl scavenger performance-enhancing additive comprising:
 a) polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of at least one of 2 to about 10 carbons and hydroxy-terminated, poly(alkylene oxide) having a weight average molecular weight of up to about 20,000;   b) hydrocarbyl alcohol having a terminal hydroxy group, about 5 to 24 carbons, at least one of which is a tertiary carbon; and   c) organic acid or salt thereof having at least one carboxyl or phosphonyl substituent;   
       wherein the hydrocarbyl alcohol is provided in said composition to provide a mole ratio of hydroxyls in the hydrocarbyl alcohol per hydroxyl of the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of between about 1:100 to 50:100; and the organic acid or salt thereof is provided in said composition to provide a mole ratio of acid moieties per hydroxyl of the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of between about 5:100 to 25:100. 
     
     
         2 . The additive of  claim 1 , further comprising a water-soluble, polymeric dielectric component in a mass ratio to the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of between about 0.01:1000 to 20:1000. 
     
     
         3 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon comprises at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerol. 
     
     
         4 . The additive of  claim 3 , wherein the hydrocarbyl alcohol comprises at least one of 2-ethylhexanol and cyclohexanol. 
     
     
         5 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the organic acid or salt thereof comprises ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid or salt thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The additive of  claim 1 , wherein the additive further comprises triazine. 
     
     
         7 . The additive package of  claim 1 , for use with triazine sulfur scavengers having:
 a mass ratio of the hydrocarbyl alcohol comprising 2-ethylhexane or cyclohexane to the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon comprising at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol and glycerol, of about 1:1 to 20:1, and   a mass ratio of an organic acid comprising an amino acid having at least two acid groups, to the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of about 1:5 to 5:1.   
     
     
         8 . The additive package of  claim 7 , further comprising a water dispersed, metal-containing, dielectric component, comprising poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymer or copolymer, in a mass ratio to the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of between about 0.05:1000 to 10:1000. 
     
     
         9 . A sulfhydryl scavenger composition comprising at least one amine-based sulfur scavenger and between about 0.05 to 1 part by mass of the additive of  claim 1  (on an anhydrous basis) provided per part by mass of the amine-based sulfur scavenger (on an anhydrous basis). 
     
     
         10 . The scavenger composition of  claim 9 , wherein the sulfur scavenger comprises at least one of MMA triazine and MEA triazine. 
     
     
         11 . The scavenger composition of  claim 10 , wherein the mass ratio of said additive to sulfur scavenger is in the range of about 0.1:1 to 0.5:1. 
     
     
         12 . The scavenger composition of  claim 9 , further comprising a water dispersed, metal-containing, dielectric component, comprising a poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymer or copolymer, in a mass ratio to the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of between about 0.05:1000 to 10:1000. 
     
     
         13 . An aqueous sulfur scavenger composition comprising at least one of MEA triazine and MMA triazine, and further comprising
 between about 2 and 5 mass percent polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of 2 to 10 carbons;   between about 0.1 and 1 mass percent hydrocarbyl alcohol;   between about 0.5 and 2 mass percent organic acid or salt thereof; and   between about 0.001 and 0.01 mass percent water-dispersible, metal-containing, dielectric component comprising poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymer or copolymer, preferably having a weight average molecular weight between about 500 and 100,000.   
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon comprises at least one of ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, and propylene glycol. 
     
     
         15 . The composition of  claim 14 , wherein the hydrocarbyl alcohol comprises at least one of 2-ethylhexanol and cyclohexanol. 
     
     
         16 . The composition of  claim 13 , wherein the organic acid or salt thereof comprises an amino acid or salt thereof having two or more carboxylic or phosphonyl acid groups. 
     
     
         17 . The composition of  claim 16 , wherein the organic acid or salt thereof comprises ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid or salt thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The composition of  claim 13 , further comprising a water dispersed, metal-containing, dielectric component, comprising a poly(dimethylsiloxane) homopolymer or copolymer, in a mass ratio to the polyhydroxylated hydrocarbon of between about 0.05:1000 to 10:1000. 
     
     
         19 . A process for reducing an amount of sulfhydryl moieties in a hydrocarbon stream comprising contacting in the presence of water said hydrocarbon stream with a composition of  claim 10 . 
     
     
         20 . A process for reducing an amount of sulfhydryl moieties in a hydrocarbon stream comprising contacting in the presence of water said hydrocarbon stream with a composition of  claim 13 .