Fundamental Kinetics of Methanol Oxidation in Supercritical Water

The destruction of hazardous chemical wastes by oxidation in supercritical water is a promising new technology which has several advantages over conventional methods of toxic chemical waste disposal. Although the feasibility of the supercritical water oxidation process has been demonstrated, there is little kinetic information available on the underlying reaction mechanisms. We have recently determined the oxidation kinetics of several model compounds in supercritical water, and now report on our results of the oxidation of methanol, a common industrial solvent, in supercritical water. Global kinetic expressions are presented and our attempts to model the reaction using a free—radical mechanism with 56 elementary reactions are discussed. The inability of the elementary reaction model to represent oxidation in supercritical water is demonstrated and future model modifications are discussed.