Method and apparatus for enhancing chemical reactions at supercritical conditions

A method of processing a continuously flowing fluid material comprising the steps of feeding the fluid to the top of a hydraulic downdraft column;

• conducting the fluid from the bottom of the hydraulic downdraft column into a reaction chamber;
• maintaining the pressure in the reaction chamber at approximately the pressure necessary to create supercritical water conditions;
• heating the fluid in the reaction chamber to maintain the temperature of the fluid above the temperature necessary to create supercritical water conditions;
• said heat and pressure causing a chemical reaction to take place in the reaction chamber resulting in a processed fluid of lower specific gravity;
• recirculating a portion of the processed fluid in the reaction chamber;
• conducting the remainder of the processed fluid to the bottom of a hydraulic updraft column whereby the pressure at the bottom of the updraft column causes the remainder of the processed fluid to rise therein;
• transferring heat from the updraft column to the downdraft column during initial phases of operation of the process;
• thermally isolating the downdraft column from the updraft column during subsequent operation of the process;
• and removing the remainder of the processed fluid from the top of the updraft column.

A method of processing a continuously flowing fluid material comprising the steps of feeding the fluid to the top of a hydraulic downdraft column;

• controlling the temperature of the fluid in the downdraft column so as not to exceed a predetermined temperature lower than the temperature necessary to create supercritical water conditions by selectively exposing the downdraft column to the heat in the updraft column so as to raise the temperature of the fluid in the downdraft column toward the predetermined temperature and alternatively insulating the downdraft column from the heat in the updraft column;
• conducting the fluid from the bottom of the hydraulic downdraft column into a reaction chamber;
• maintaining the pressure in the reaction chamber at approximately the pressure necessary to create supercritical water conditions;
• heating the fluid in the reaction chamber to maintain the temperature of the fluid above the temperature necessary to create supercritical water conditions so that the fluid in the downdraft column is abruptly heated from below the predetermined temperature to the temperature necessary to create supercritical conditions when conducted to the reaction chamber;
• said heat and pressure causing a chemical reaction to take place in the reaction chamber resulting in a processed fluid of lower specific gravity;
• conducting the processed fluid to the bottom of a hydraulic updraft column whereby the pressure at the bottom of the updraft column causes the processed fluid to rise therein;
• and removing the processed fluid from the top of the updraft column.

Apparatus for processing a continuously flowing fluid stream comprising first vertical passageway means receiving the fluid stream near the top thereof and being of such a height such that the pressure at the bottom thereof will be approximately the pressure necessary to create supercritical water conditions;

• means defining a reaction chamber near the bottom of said first vertical passageway means and receiving the fluid stream therefrom;
• means defining a heating reaction chamber adjacent said means defining a reaction chamber to heat the fluid in said means defining a reaction chamber to a temperature above the temperature necessary to create supercritical water conditions;
• said temperature and pressure causing a chemical reaction to take place in said means defining a reaction chamber resulting in a processed fluid of lower specific gravity;
• means to recirculate a majority of the processed fluid in said means defining a reaction chamber, and second vertical passageway means communicating with said means defining a reaction chamber to receive a minority of the processed fluids in said means defining a reaction chamber whereby the processed fluid in said second vertical passageway means flows upwardly to the top thereof.

Apparatus for processing a continuously flowing fluid stream comprising first vertical passageway means receiving the fluid stream near the top thereof and being of such a height such that the pressure at the bottom thereof will be approximately the pressure necessary to create supercritical water conditions;

• means defining a reaction chamber near the bottom of said first vertical passageway means and receiving the fluid stream therefrom;
• means defining a heating reaction chamber adjacent said means defining a reaction chamber to heat the fluid in said means defining a reaction chamber to a temperature above the temperature necessary to create supercritical water conditions;
• said temperature and pressure causing a chemical reaction to take place in said means defining a reaction chamber resulting in a processed fluid of lower specific gravity;
• means to recirculate a majority of the processed fluid in said means defining a reaction chamber, second vertical passageway means communicating with said means defining a reaction chamber to receive a minority of the processed fluids in said means defining a reaction chamber;
• said second vertical passageway means including a first vertical annulus adjacent said first vertical passageway means and a second vertical annulus adjacent said first vertical annulus and remote from said first vertical passageway means;
• and means to selectively permit said minority of the processed fluids being recirculated in said means defining a reaction chamber to be transferred to said first vertical annulus or said second vertical annulus whereby the processed fluid in said first vertical annulus or said second vertical annulus flows upwardly to the top thereof.

Apparatus for processing a continuously flowing fluid stream comprising first vertical passageway means receiving the fluid stream near the top thereof and being of such a height such that the pressure at the bottom thereof will be approximately the pressure necessary to create supercritical water conditions;

• means defining a reaction chamber near the bottom of said first vertical passageway means receiving the fluid stream therefrom;
• means defining a heating reaction chamber adjacent said means defining a reaction chamber to heat the fluid in said means defining a reaction chamber to a temperature above the temperature necessary to create supercritical water conditions;
• said temperature and pressure causing a chemical reaction to take place in said means defining a reaction chamber resulting in a processed fluid of lower specific gravity;
• second vertical passageway means communicating with said means defining a reaction chamber and being adjacent said first vertical passageway means;
• third vertical passageway means communicating with said means defining a reaction chamber and being adjacent said second vertical passageway means and remote from said first vertical passageway means, and means to selectively direct the processed fluid to said second vertical passageway means during initiation of the process and to said third vertical passageway means during normal operation of the process, whereby processed fluid selectively in said second or third passageway means flows upwardly to the top thereof.