Process for treating effluent from a supercritical water oxidation reactor
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsCharles M. Barnes, Carolyn Shapiro
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Abstract
A method for treating a gaseous effluent from a supercritical water oxidation reactor containing entrained solids is provided comprising the steps of expanding the gas/solids effluent from a first to a second lower pressure at a temperature at which no liquid condenses; separating the solids from the gas effluent; neutralizing the effluent to remove any acid gases; condensing the effluent; and retaining the purified effluent to the supercritical water oxidation reactor.
Claims20
A method for treating a gaseous effluent from a supercritical water oxidation reactor containing entrained solids comprising the steps of:
- a) expanding the gas/solids effluent from a first to a second lower pressure at a temperature at which no liquid condenses;
- b) separating the solids from the gas effluent;
- c) neutralizing the effluent to remove any acid gases;
- d) condensing the effluent;
- e) purifying the effluent;
- and
- f) returning the purified effluent to the supercritical water oxidation reactor.
A method for treating gaseous effluent from a supercritical water oxidation reactor to remove entrained solids, acid gases and organics comprising the steps of:
- a) passing the effluent through a cooling device to cool the effluent to a range of 400.degree.-500.degree. C.;
- b) filtering the effluent through a first separating device;
- c) cooling the effluent by expansion through a control valve to a temperature at which no liquid condenses;
- d) separating solids from the effluent;
- e) passing the effluent through a neutralization device to remove the acid gas portion;
- f) condensing the remaining effluent;
- g) removing organics from the remaining effluent;
- and
- h) returning the effluent to the supercritical water oxidation reactor.
A method for treating the effluent from a supercritical water oxidation reactor to remove radionuclides, suspended solids, acid gases, and organics comprising the steps of:
- a) passing the effluent through a cooling device selected from a group consisting of a heat exchanger and a direct quench spray to cool the effluent to a range of 400.degree.-500.degree. C. and a pressure in the range of 3400-4000 psia;
- b) filtering the effluent through a first separating device selected from the group consisting of a cyclone separator and a sintered metal filter;
- c) expanding the effluent through a baffled control value to a pressure in the range of 200-300 psia and a temperature in the range of 250.degree.-300.degree. C.;
- d) filtering radionuclides and suspended solids from the effluent by passing the effluent through a second separating device selected from the group consisting of an electrostatic precipitator and a fabric filter;
- e) passing the effluent through a neutralization device selected from the group consisting of spray driers, caustic columns, packed bed scrubbers, tray scrubbers, fluidized bed scrubbers, venturi scrubbers, and spray towers to remove the acid gases;
- f) condensing the remaining effluent;
- g) removing organics from the remaining effluent;
- and
- h) returning the effluent to the supercritical water oxidation reactor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.