SUPERCRITICAL WATER OXIDATION OF ACETIC-ACID BY POTASSIUM-PERMANGANATE

Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) of acetic acid by potassium permanganate (KMnO4) was studied. The experiments were performed in a batch reactor at temperatures and pressures, respectively, ranging from 400-degrees-C to 460-degrees-C and from 275 bar to 350 bar. For comparison purposes, other oxidants, such as oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, Cu-H2O2, Fe-H2O2 and MnSO4-H2O2, were studied. Subcritical tests with potassium permanganate were also conducted at temperatures of 250-degrees-C, 300-degrees-C and 350-degrees-C. The order of acetic acid destruction effectiveness was found to be KMnO4 > Cu-H2O2 > Fe-H2O2 > MnSO4-H2O2 > H2O2 > O2 at a temperature of 400-degrees-C, density of 0.3 g/ml and reaction time of less than 10 min. The acetic acid destruction efficiency by potassium permanganate was 77% at a temperature of 400-degrees-C, density of 0.3 g/ml and a reaction time of 2.5 min. Under similar conditions, only 40% of acetic acid was destroyed at 250-degrees-C. Potassium permanganate was demonstrated to be an effective oxidant for SCWO of acetic acid.