WET OXIDATION SYSTEM - PROCESS CONCEPT TO DESIGN

A wet oxidation process was developed to treat waste water from an org anic nitration process. The waste water contained EPA listed priority pollutants including dinitrotoluene, 2-nitrophenol, 4-nitrophenol, 2,4 -dinitrophenol, 4,6-dinitro-ortho-cresol and phenol. The process desig n was based on experimental data generated in both batch and continuou s laboratory and pilot scale reactors and in cooperation with universi ty researchers, a private development company and an engineering compa ny. Process variables included temperatures between 250 and 500 C, pre ssures in the 23,000-28,000 kPa (3,450-4,000 psi) range and residence times between 1 and 7 minutes. The final design was a tubular reactor operating at temperatures slightly below the critical temperature for water and short residence times. Destruction efficiencies for most of the priority pollutants were greater than 99% and final concentrations were below those specified by EPA regulations.