Process and apparatus for supercritical water oxidation

Claim 1

An improved apparatus useful for the supercritical water oxidation of organic waste material which comprises: (a) a platelet tube reactor which comprises an inner platelet tube having a center reaction zone and supported within an outer tubular shell, thereby defining an annular space therebetween, said platelet tube being formed from a plurality of thin plates assembled into a tube shape and provided with a plurality of fluid passages from its outer surface to its inner surface leading to a plurality of apertures in the inner surface of said platelet tube; (b) means for feeding a pressurized aqueous reaction mixture of said waste material and an oxidant source at ambient temperature to said center reaction zone; (c) means for heating water externally of said reaction zone to at least supercritical conditions; (d) means for feeding said externally heated supercritical water to at least one point along said annular space surrounding said platelet tube reactor, wherein the resulting pressure in said annular space is higher than the pressure in the center reaction zone within said platelet tube such that said supercritical water flows from said annular space through said fluid passages in the wall of said platelet tube and into said center reaction zone through said plurality of apertures, thereby forming a thin film of supercritical water over substantially the entire inner surface of said platelet tube and heating said mixture to reaction temperature; and (e) means to remove a resulting reaction product mixture from said reaction zone.