Experimental Investigation of the Wet Oxidation Destruction of Shipboard Waste Streams

Increasingly stringent water quality regulations anticipate the need for treating all shipboard waste streams containing combustible matter. Wet air oxidation or pressurized aqueous combustion conducted at 475 to 600F at operating pressures from 600 to 1850 pounds per square inch gage was investigated as one means for the ultimate destruction of organic wastes. This process was investigated by conducting experiments in a 1-gallon pressure vessel with a variety of wastes under different conditions. Waste types used in the experiments were sanitary, food, oil, municipal sludge, glucose, and cellulose. Results showed that the wet oxidation process obeys first-order kinetics consisting of two separate and distinct reactions. Catalysts have their main influence on the fast reaction, increasing its rate by a factor of three. Additional removal of organic matter can be achieved by further processing the wet oxidation effluent through a reverse osmosis membrane. (Modified author abstract)