Experimental
data from a bench-scale reactor was used to validate
the computation fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology for modeling the
supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) process. The reactor was operated
on ethanol as pilot fuel and H2O2 as an oxidizer.
Fluid properties were modeled using polynomial fit approximations
validated against NIST data over a range of subcritical and supercritical
temperatures at 25 MPa. The model predicts the fluid temperature in
the reactor within 30 °C of measured values over a range of inlet
fuel concentrations. The ethanol decomposition of ∼99% occurs
within 20% of the reactor length at T ∼ 600
°C. The nondimensional analysis shows that the reactor operates
in a distributed reaction regime due to the enhanced stability of
the inverted gravity reactor configuration. The modeling approach
can inform the designs of practical SCWO reactors, increase operational
safety related to material limits, and optimize operating conditions
required to destroy toxic wastes.