Assessment of an Industrial Wet Oxidation System for Burning Waste and Low-Grade Fuels

Abstract

"Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation, under Department of Energy sponsorship, is developing a wet oxidation system to generate steam for industrial processes by burning industrial waste materials and low-grade fuels. The program involves an assessment of wet oxidation technologies, followed by bench-scale and pilot unit testing and by eventual demonstration of the pilot unit at an industrial host site. This paper discusses the assessment conducted under the first phase of this effort, which comprises an updated literature survey of wet oxidation technologies, the identification and evaluation of potential fuels (industrial wastes), and the evaluation of several generic industrial applications.

The evaluation includes the application of subcritical and supercritical wet oxidation technologies to chemical, food processing, pharmaceutical, wood-pulping, and coal-washing wastes. Each application is evaluated for technical and economic feasibility as well as its national applicability and potential to replace conventional fuels for steam generation. Based on the preliminary evaluation, a wet oxidation system will be selected for further study."