Downflow hydrothermal treatment reactor

摘要

A system and method for treatment of a feed material includes a reactor chamber in a reactor vessel. The reactor vessel has a longitudinal axis which is vertically oriented so that gravitational forces act generally in a direction along the axis between a top and a bottom of the vessel. A feed material is introduced by a nozzle into the reactor chamber as a jet stream through the top end of the vessel. This jet stream causes back-mixing in the reactor chamber, contributing to rapid initiation of reaction and general down flow of material through the reactor chamber. The material in the reactor chamber can be quenched to dissolve sticky solids in the effluent before the effluent is discharged from the lower end of the vessel. Further, the reactor vessel can include a plug flow section to carry out additional reaction of the feed material. <IMAGE>