Process for the oxidation of materials in water at supercritical temperatures utilizing reaction rate enhancers

A method for achieving a destruction efficiency of greater than about 99.0% for combustible materials by reacting an aqueous stream bearing the combustible materials in the presence of an oxidant, comprising diatomic oxygen and at a temperature greater than the critical temperature of water and at a pressure greater than about 25 bar within a reactor for a period of less than about 5 minutes to produce a reaction product stream, and removing non-combustible inorganic constituents from the reaction product stream wherein the reaction is initiated in the presence of a rate enhancer comprising at least one oxidizing agent in addition to said oxidant selected from the group consisting of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, salts containing persulfate, salts containing permanganate, nitric acid, salts containing nitrate, oxyacids of chlorine and their corresponding salts, hypochlorous acid, salts containing hypochlorite, chlorous acid, salts containing chlorite, chloric acid, salts containing chlorate, perchloric acid, and salts containing perchlorate.

A method substantially completely oxidizing materials in which an aqueous stream bearing oxidizable materials is reacted with an oxidant comprising diatomic oxygen and at a temperature greater than the critical temperature of water and at a pressure greater than about 25 bar to produce a reaction product stream, and removing non-combustible inorganic constituents from the reaction product stream, including those which are highly soluble in liquid water below 374.degree. C., wherein the reaction is initiated in the presence of a rate enhancer comprising at least one oxidizing agent other than diatomic oxygen selected from the group consisting of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, salts containing persulfate, salts containing permanganate, nitric acid, salts containing nitrate, oxyacids of chlorine and their corresponding salts, hypochlorous acid, salts containing hypochlorite, chlorous acid, salts containing chlorite, chloric acid, salts containing chlorate, perchloric acid, and salts containing perchlorate.

A method for substantially completely oxidizing combustible materials in an aqueous stream said method comprising:

• (a) reacting the aqueous stream bearing the combustible materials in a reactor in the presence of an oxidant comprising diatomic oxygen and at a temperature greater than the critical temperature of water at a pressure less than about 25 bar, wherein the reaction is initiated in the presence of a rate enhancer comprising at least one oxidizing agent other than said oxidant selected from the group consisting of ozone, hydrogen peroxide, salts containing persulfate, salts containing permanganate, nitric acid, salts containing nitrate, oxyacids of chlorine and their corresponding salts, hypochlorous acid, salts containing hypochlorite, chlorous acid, salts containing hypochlorite, chlorous acid, salts containing chlorite, chloric acid, salts containing chlorate, perchloric acid, and salts containing perchlorate;
• and
• (b) allowing the temperature of the aqueous stream to rise above the critical temperature of water while continuing to react the aqueous stream in the presence of the oxidant.