Patent ID: 7556784

Claim:
An apparatus comprising: an oxidation reactor having a reactor outlet; a solid/liquid separator having a separator inlet, a separated solids outlet, and a separated liquids outlet, wherein said separator inlet is coupled in communication with said reactor outlet; a splitter having a splitter inlet, a first splitter outlet and a second splitter outlet, wherein said splitter inlet is coupled in communication with said separated solids; a hydrogenation system having a hydrogenation system inlet and a hydrogenation system outlet, wherein said hydrogenation system inlet is coupled in communication with said first splitter outlet; and a combining zone having a hydrogenated solids inlet, an unhydrogenated solids inlet, and a composite solids outlet, wherein said hydrogenated solids inlet is coupled in communication with said hydrogenation system outlet, wherein said unhydrogenated solids inlet is coupled in communication with said second splitter outlet.