Patent ID: 7241389

Claim:
A method which may be used for oxidizing a liquid with an oxidation gas in a closed volume reactor, said method comprising: a) feeding a feed liquid into a reactor, wherein: 1) said liquid is fed into said reactor by at least one liquid feeding device; and 2) said liquid comprises compounds to be oxidized; b) feeding a feed gas into said reactor, wherein: 1) said feed gas is fed into said reactor by at least one gas feeding device; 2) said feed gas is an oxidation gas comprising oxygen; and 3) said feed gas forms a gas overhead above said liquid as it is fed into said reactor; c) measuring an oxygen concentration in said overhead gas to provide a measured oxygen concentration; d) purging said gas overhead from said reactor at a purge flow rate; e) providing at least one liquid withdrawing device; f) providing at least one gas withdrawing device; g) selecting a desired degree of oxidation of said compounds to be achieved by performance of said method; and h) selecting a desired oxygen partial pressure of said overhead gas, said selected oxygen partial pressure being based upon said desired degree of oxidation, wherein the purge flow rate is slaved to said measured oxygen concentration such that as the measured oxygen concentration changes the purge flow rate is adjusted in order to obtain said desired oxygen partial pressure.