Processing methods for the oxidation of organics in supercritical water
AssigneeModar, Inc.
InventorMichael Modell
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Organic materials are oxidized in supercritical water to obtain useful energy and/or resultant materials. In one embodiment, conventional fuels are oxidized with high efficiency to obtain useful energy for power generation and/or process heat. In another embodiment toxic or waste materials are converted to useful energy for power and heat and/or to non-toxic resultant materials. The method is also useful to permit use of a wide range of organic materials as a fuel in the desalination of seawater and brine or the removal of certain inorganic salts from water.
Claims29
A method of obtaining useful energy and oxidizing organic materials in an oxidizer, said method comprising forming a reaction mixture of said organic material, water and oxygen,
- and reacting said mixture in a single homogeneous fluid phase under conditions characterized by a temperature of at least 377.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 220 atmospheres to cause said organic materials to be oxidized thereby raising the temperature of said water and oxidiation products.
A method of treating an organic material containing waste by an oxidation process, said process comprising obtaining a mixture of said waste with water, said water acting as a carrier fluid and admixing oxygen therewith to form a reaction mixture in a continuous flow and substantially completely oxidizing said organic material in a flow through reactor wherein said reaction occurs with said mixture as a single homogeneous fluid phase under conditions characterized by a temperature of at least 377.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 220 atmospheres.
A method of removing inorganic salts from water, said method comprising admixing an organic material with said water carrying an inorganic salt and oxygen to form a reaction mixture, wherein said organic material comprises from 2 to 25% by weight of said water forming a single fluid phase of said reaction mixture under conditions characterized by a temperature of at least 377.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 220 atmospheres and oxidizing said organic material to obtain a temperature of at least 450.degree. C. in an effluent stream,
- and removing said inorganic salts as particulates from a stream of reactants with the aid of the temperature elevated above 450.degree. C. to reduce the solubility of said inorganic salts.
The method of reacting an organic material which comprises
- mixing said organic material with water and a fluid comprising oxygen to form a mixture,
- causing said mixture to undergo reaction in a single substantially homogeneous fluid phase under conditions characterized by a temperature of at least 377.degree. C. and a pressure of at least 220 atmospheres.
The method of oxidizing an organic material, which comprises the steps of forming a reaction mixture comprising the organic material, water and an oxygen-containing gas and flowing such reaction mixture through an oxidation region;
- causing the reaction mixture to be brought to an oxidation temperature which is at least 377.degree. C. at a pressure of at least 220 atmospheres and which would establish for the water in the oxidation region a supercritical density which is less than about 0.7 gm/cm.sup.3, and controlling the ratio of oxygen and organic material in the reaction mixture and the rate of flow thereof through the oxidation region so as to oxidize the organic material within the oxidation region.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.