Supercritical water oxidation apparatus and process

1. A method of oxidizing an organic material comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a preoxidation mixture comprising the organic material and water;

(b) causing the preoxidation mixture to react with a liquid oxidizer in a continuous flow reactor at supercritical conditions for water, including a pressure of at least 3206 psia and a temperature of at least 705° F., to form a post-oxidation mixture containing condensible material and non-condensible material, wherein substantially all of the organic material has been oxidized; and

(c) reducing the pressure of the post-oxidation material to less than about 550 psig while maintaining the condensible material within the post-oxidation mixture in gaseous form and transporting solids/salts in a gaseous suspension.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the liquid oxidizer is hydrogen peroxide.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein additional heat is provided to the reactor by inductive heating coils operatively disposed around the reactor.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactor comprises a reactor body with reactor walls and a threaded reactor upper plug, and wherein the reactor also comprises a cylindrical liner attached solely to the threaded reactor upper plug, such that, when the threaded reactor upper plug is removed from the reactor, the reactor liner is consequently and simultaneously removed from the reactor as well.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the reactor liner is attached to the threaded reactor upper plug by pins.

6. The method of claim 4 wherein an annulus is defined between the reactor walls and the reactor liner and wherein means are provided for continuously purging the annulus during operation.

7. The method of claim 4 wherein the reactor further comprises one or more seal ring seals and means for separately cooling the one or more seal ring seals.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the means for separately cooling the one or more seal ring seals comprises a circulation pump, a heat exchanger and a surge tank.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactor comprises an internal letdown valve.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the reactor comprises an internal letdown valve having a control valve piston and a pressure control needle disposed at the outlet of a ball cap, the pressure control needle having slots machined into it for the purpose of establishing minimum flow when the pressure control needle is fully seated in the ball cap seating surface.

11. A method of oxidizing an organic material comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a preoxidation mixture comprising the organic material and water; and

(b) causing the preoxidation mixture to react with a liquid oxidizer in a continuous flow reactor at supercritical conditions for water, including a pressure of at least 3206 psia and a temperature of at least 705° F., to form a post-oxidation mixture containing condensible material and non-condensible material, wherein substantially all of the organic material has been oxidized;

wherein the reactor comprises a reactor body with reactor walls and a threaded reactor upper plug, and wherein the reactor also comprises a cylindrical liner attached solely to the threaded reactor upper plug, such that, when the threaded reactor upper plug is removed from the reactor, the reactor liner is consequently and simultaneously removed from the reactor as well.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the reactor liner is attached to the threaded reactor upper plug by pins.

13. The method of claim 11 wherein an annulus is defined between the reactor walls and the reactor liner and wherein means are provided for continuously purging the annulus during operation.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the reactor further comprises one or more seal ring seals and means for separately cooling the one or more seal ring seals.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the means for separately cooling the one or more seal ring seals comprises a circulation pump, a heat exchanger and a surge tank.

16. A method of oxidizing an organic material comprising the steps of:

(a) forming a preoxidation mixture comprising the organic material and water; and

(b) causing the preoxidation mixture to react with a liquid oxidizer in a continuous flow reactor at supercritical conditions for water, including a pressure of at least 3206 psia and a temperature of at least 705° F., to form a post-oxidation mixture containing condensible material and non-condensible material, wherein substantially all of the organic material has been oxidized;

wherein the reactor comprises an internal letdown valve having a control valve piston and a pressure control needle disposed at the outlet of a ball cap, the pressure control needle having slots machined into it for the purpose of establishing minimum flow when the pressure control needle is fully seated in the ball cap seating surface.