Patent ID: 6056883
Filing Date: 2000-05-02
Classification: C02F

Abstract:
In a continuous supercritical water oxidation process using first and second reactors, a method of removing inorganic scale material from a reactor surface at predetermined intervals of one reactor while the supercritical water oxidation process is taking place in the other reactor comprising the steps of:a) supplying a feed stream containing oxidizable material to said first and said second supercritical water oxidation reactors;b) oxidizing said feed stream under supercritical conditions at said first and said second reactors;c) terminating said supplying and said oxidizing of said feed stream at said second reactor after a predetermined time interval while maintaining said supplying and said oxidizing of said feed stream at said first reactor;d) selecting subcritical conditions for a flushing stream to solubilize said inorganic scale material;e) supplying said flushing stream into said second reactor through an inlet of said second reactor, said flushing stream being maintained at said subcritical conditions;f) solubilizing said inorganic scale material within said second reactor into said flushing stream; andg) repeating steps a) through f) to flush said first reactor while said supercritical water oxidation process takes place in said second reactor.