Apparatus and method for wet oxidation of organic matter

Claim 2

In a process for oxidation of combustible organic matter in an aqueous system in the form of solution or dispersion by exposure to an oxygen containing gas under elevated pressure and temperature conditions, for a time sufficient to effect substantial reduction in chemical oxygen demand, the improvement which comprises vigorously agitating the aqueous System and simultaneously introducing the oxygen containing gas into the area adjacent high agitation to effect immediate breakdown of the oxygen containing gas into fine increments which are rapidly distributed throughout the aqueous system and to effect rapid transport of free radicals generated by the oxidation reaction to other sites capable of oxidation of combustible organic matter before expiration of the life of the free radicals, thereby to catalyze the oxidation reaction to achieve a high rate of oxidation of combustible organic matter in the aqueous medium.

Claim 3

IN A PROCESS FOR OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER IN AN AQUEOUS SYSTEM IN THE FORM OF SOLUTION OR DISPERSION BY EXPOSURE TO AN OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS UNDER ELEVATED PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS, FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES VIGOROUSLY AGITATING THE AQUEOUS SYSTEM AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO THE AREA ADJACENT HIGH AGITATION TO EFFECT IMMEDIATE BREAKDOWN OF THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO FINE INCREMENTS WHICH ARE RAPIDLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE AQUEOUS SYSTEM AND TO EFFECT RAPID TRANSPORT OF FREE RADICALS GENERATED BY THE OXIDATION REACTION TO OTHER SITES CAPABLE OF OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER BEFORE EXPIRATION OF THE LIFE OF THE FREE RADICALS, THEREBY TO CATALYZE THE OXIDATION REACTION TO ACHIEVE A HIGH RATE OF OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER IN THE AQUEOUS MEDIUM.

Claim 4

IN A PROCESS FOR OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER IN AN AQUEOUS SYSTEM IN THE FORM OF SOLUTION OR DISPERSION BY EXPOSURE TO AN OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS UNDER ELEVATED PRESSURE AND TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS, FOR A TIME SUFFICIENT TO EFFECT SUBSTANTIAL REDUCTION IN CHEMICAL OXYGEN DEMAND, THE IMPROVEMENT WHICH COMPRISES VIGOROUSLY AGITATING THE AQUEOUS SYSTEM AND SIMULTANEOUSLY INTRODUCING THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO THE AREA ADJACENT HIGH AGITATION TO EFFECT IMMEDIATE BREAKDOWN OF THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO FINE INCREMENTS WHICH ARE RAPIDLY DISTRIBUTED THROUGHOUT THE AQUEOUS SYSTEM AND TO EFFECT RAPID TRANSPORT OF FREE RADICALS GENERATED BY THE OXIDATION REACTION TO OTHER SITES CAPABLE OF OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER BEFORE EXPIRATION OF THE LIFE OF THE FREE RADICALS, THEREBY TO CATALYZE THE OXIDATION REACTION TO ACHIEVE A HIGH RATE OF OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER IN THE AQUEOUS MEDIUM.

Claim 5

The process as claimed in claim 1 in which the oxygen containing gas is introduced into the aqueous system into the area adjacent the source of agitation.

Claim 6

The process as claimed in claim 1 in which agitation is effected by a turbine type stirrer rotatable about a vertical axis with the agitator blades extending in the downward direction and in which the oxygen containing gas is introduced into the aqueous medium in the area immediately below the turbine blades.

Claim 7

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the oxidation reaction is carried out with the materials at a temperature within the range of 400*-480*F.

Claim 8

A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the oxidation reaction is carried out with the materials at a temperature within the range of 420*-460*F.

Claim 9

A process as claimed in claim 4 in which the reaction is carried out with the materials under a pressure of 50-200 psi above autogenous pressure.

Claim 10

IN A REACTOR FOR THE WET OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER IN AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION OR SOLUTION, AN ELOGATE HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED CONTINOUS CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET AT ONE END PORTION AND AN OUTLET AT THE OTHER END PORTION, VERTICALLY DISPOSED WALLS SUBDIVIDING THE CHAMBER INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS IN SIDE BY SIDE ARRANGEMENT WITH AN INLET IN THE COMPARTMENT AT ONE END FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION AND DISPERSION OF ORGANIC MATTER AND AN OUTLET IN THE COMPARTMENT AT THE OTHER END FOR THE REMOVAL OF AQUEOUS LIQUOR WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO WET OXIDATION DURING TRAVEL THROUGH THE COMPARTMENTS, AN AGITATOR IN THE COMPARTMENTS FOR AGITATION OF THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OR DISPERSION WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT, A SOURCE OF OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS, AND MEANS FOR CONTINOUS INTRODUCTION OF THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO COMPARTMENTS IN THE VICINTIY OF HIGH AGITATION OF THE LIQUID WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT FOR IMMEDIATE DISPERSION OF THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS AS FINE INCREMENTS IN THE LIQUID AND FOR RAPID TRANSPORT OF FREE RADICALS GENERATED UPON COMBUSTION TO OTHER COMBUSTION SITES BEFORE EXPIRATION OF THE FREE RADICALS TO CATALYZE THE OXIDATION REACTION, AND A PASSAGE THROUGH THE SEPARATING WALLS FOR COMMUNICATING THE ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS FOR FLOW OF FLUID FROM ONE COMPARTMENT TO THE OTHER STHROUGH THE CHAMBER.

Claim 11

IN A REACTOR FOR THE WET OXIDATION OF COMBUSTIBLE ORGANIC MATTER IN AN AQUEOUS DISPERSION OR SOLUTION, AN ELOGATE HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED CONTINOUS CHAMBER HAVING AN INLET AT ONE END PORTION AND AN OUTLET AT THE OTHER END PORTION, VERTICALLY DISPOSED WALLS SUBDIVIDING THE CHAMBER INTO A PLURALITY OF COMPARTMENTS IN SIDE BY SIDE ARRANGEMENT WITH AN INLET IN THE COMPARTMENT AT ONE END FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION AND DISPERSION OF ORGANIC MATTER AND AN OUTLET IN THE COMPARTMENT AT THE OTHER END FOR THE REMOVAL OF AQUEOUS LIQUOR WHICH HAS BEEN SUBJECTED TO WET OXIDATION DURING TRAVEL THROUGH THE COMPARTMENTS, AN AGITATOR IN THE COMPARTMENTS FOR AGITATION OF THE AQUEOUS SOLUTION OR DISPERSION WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT, A SOURCE OF OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS, AND MEANS FOR CONTINOUS INTRODUCTION OF THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS INTO COMPARTMENTS IN THE VICINTIY OF HIGH AGITATION OF THE LIQUID WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT FOR IMMEDIATE DISPERSION OF THE OXYGEN CONTAINING GAS AS FINE INCREMENTS IN THE LIQUID AND FOR RAPID TRANSPORT OF FREE RADICALS GENERATED UPON COMBUSTION TO OTHER COMBUSTION SITES BEFORE EXPIRATION OF THE FREE RADICALS TO CATALYZE THE OXIDATION REACTION, AND A PASSAGE THROUGH THE SEPARATING WALLS FOR COMMUNICATING THE ADJACENT COMPARTMENTS FOR FLOW OF FLUID FROM ONE COMPARTMENT TO THE OTHER STHROUGH THE CHAMBER.