Oxidation static mixer reactor

Wetox uses a single-reactor vessel that is baffled to simulate multiple stages. The design allows for higher destmction efficiency at lower power input and reduced temperature. Its commercial use has been limited to one faciHty in Canada for treatment of a complex industrial waste stream. Kenox Corp. (North York, Ontario, Canada) has developed a wet oxidation reactor design (28). The system operates at 4.1—4.7 MPa (600 to 680 psi) with air, using a static mixer to achieve good dispersion of Hquid and air bubbles. 

The feed-stream is pressurized to the operation pressure by a metering pump, and the air which is used as oxidant in the oxidation reaction, is compressed to the operational pressure in a four-stage compressor. Both streams are mixed in a static mixer inside the reaction chamber as it is shown in Fig. 9.4-10. The reactor has been described in the section 9.4.4.I. A more etal ed description of the pilot plant can be found in reference [7]. 

Tubular reactors are also used to carry out some multiphase reactions. Wamecke et al. (1999) reported use of a computational flow model to simulate an industrial tubular reactor carrying out a gas-liquid reaction (propylene oxide manufacturing process). In this process, liquid is a dispersed phase and gas is a continuous phase. The two-fluid model discussed earlier may be used to carry out simulations of gas-liquid flow through a tubular reactor. Warnecke et al. (1999) applied such a model to evaluate the influence of bends etc. on flow distribution and reactor performance. The model may be used to evolve better reactor configurations. In many tubular reactors, static mixers are employed to enhance mixing and other transport processes. Computational flow models can also make significant contributions to understanding the role of static mixers and for their optimization. Visser et al. (1999) reported CFD... 

Industrial implementation of black liquor oxidation recognized the importance of effective gas-liquid mass transfer in the reaction. 8parged tank reactors are often used, with compartmentalized reaction zones to optimize reactor size given the reaction kinetics (Morgan and Murray, 1971 8haw and Christie, 1984). Pipeline reactors can also be used to oxidize black liquor but gas-liquor mass transfer is critical and it may be necessary to increase the gas-liquid mass transfer by using static mixers in some applications. 

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