《A review of industrial catalytic wet air oxidation processes》.pdf

/ CATALYSIS TODAY Catalysis Today 27 (1996) 195-202 ELSEVIER A review of industrial catalytic wet air oxidation processes F. L u c k 1 Anjou Recherche, Compagnie G~ngrale des Eaux-OlV Research Center, 78603 Maisons Laffitte Cedex, France Abstract Wet oxidation is a thermal aqueous phase process in which organic and inorganic substances in aqueous solutions or suspensions are oxidized by oxygen or air at elevated temperatures and pressures. Various catalysts have been developed to reduce the severity of the reaction conditions. The main features of five commercially practised catalytic wet oxidation (CWO) processes for treating industrial waste waters have been analyzed and presented in this paper, along with highlights on several ongoing developments of new CWO technologies. Keywords: Industrial catalytic wet air oxidation processes; Wet oxidation; Oxidation 1. Introduction in tum oxidized and eventually converted to car- bon dioxide and water, without emissions of NOx, Wet oxidation (WO) is an attractive destruc- SO2, HC1, dioxins, furans, fly ash, etc. The last tion method for the treatment of waste streams residual organic compounds are fatty acids, espe- which are too dilute to incinerate and too concen- cially acetic acid. Organic nitrogen compounds trated for biological treatment. WO can be defined