Wet oxidation of ammonium salt containing liquors

Claim 2

A process for preventing plugging of vapor-carrying lines from a wet oxidation reactor by condensed ammonium carbonate and/or biacarbonate produced in a wet oxidation process comprising the steps; (a) oxidizing a carbonaceous COD and ammonium salt containing waste liquor with an oxygen containing gas in a reactor, thereby producing an oxidized liquid phase and a vapor phase containing ammonia and carbon dioxide; (b) removing said vapor phase and said liquid phase from said reactor by separate exit conduits; and (c) adding sufficient liquid water to said vapor-carrying lines from said reactor to dissolve condensed ammonium carbonate and/or bicarbonate thereby maintaining said vapor-carrying lines in an unobstructed condition.

Claim 3

A process according to claim 1 wherein said ammonium salt containing liquor is from the production of acrylonitrile.

Claim 4

A process according to claim 2 wherein said liquor contains ammonium sulfate.

Claim 5

A process according to claim 1 wherein said liquor contains ammonium carbonate and/or ammonium bicarbonate.

Claim 6

A process according to claim 1 wherein said waste liquor has an ammonium salt concentration in excess of about 10 g/l.

Claim 7

A process according to claim 1 wherein said oxidized liquid phase is between about 1 and about pH 10.

Claim 8

A process according to claim 1 wherein said oxygen containing gas is oxygen enriched air or essentially pure oxygen gas.

Claim 9

A process according to claim 1 wherein said adding of liquid water is continuous.

Claim 10

A process according to claim 1 wherein said wet oxidation reactor operates at temperatures of about 200° C. to about 373° C. and pressures of about 300 psig to about 4500 psig.

Claim 11

A process for preventing plugging of vapor-contacting lines from a wet oxidation reactor by condensed ammonium carbonate and/or bicarbonate produced in a wet oxidation process comprising the steps; (a) oxidizing a carbonaceous COD and ammonium salt containing waste liquor with an oxygen containing gas in a reactor, thereby producing an oxidized liquid phase and a vapor phase containing ammonia and carbon dioxide; (b) removing said vapor phase and said liquid phase from said reactor by a single exit conduit; and (c) adding sufficient liquid water to said vapor-contacting lines from said reactor to dissolve condensed ammonium carbonate and/or bicarbonate thereby maintaining said vapor-contacting lines in an unobstructed condition.

Claim 12

A process for preventing plugging of vapor-contacting lines from a wet oxidation reactor by condensed ammonium carbonate and/or bicarbonate produced in a wet oxidation process comprising the steps; (a) oxidizing a carbonaceous COD and ammonium salt containing waste liquor with an oxygen containing gas in a reactor, thereby producing an oxidized liquid phase and a vapor phase containing ammonia and carbon dioxide; (b) removing said vapor phase and said liquid phase from said reactor by a single exit conduit; and (c) adding sufficient liquid water to said vapor-contacting lines from said reactor to dissolve condensed ammonium carbonate and/or bicarbonate thereby maintaining said vapor-contacting lines in an unobstructed condition.

Claim 13

A process according to claim 10 said ammonium salt containing liquor is from the production of acrylonitrile.

Claim 14

A process according to claim 11 wherein said liquor contains ammonium sulfate.

Claim 15

A process according to claim 10 wherein said liquor contains ammonium carbonate and/or ammonium bicarbonate.

Claim 16

A process according to claim 10 wherein said waste liquor has an ammonium salt concentration in excess of about 10 g/l.

Claim 17

A process according to claim 10 wherein said oxidized liquid phase is between about pH 1 and about pH 10.

Claim 18

A process according to claim 10 wherein said oxygen containing gas is oxygen enriched air or essentially pure oxygen gas.

Claim 19

A process according to claim 10 wherein said adding of liquid water is continuous.

Claim 20

A process according to claim 10 wherein said wet oxidation reactor operates at temperatures of about 200° C. to about 373° C. and pressures of about 300 psig to about 4500 psig.