METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR TREATING SALT STREAMS

A method for avoiding the precipitation of salts from a salt containing water stream prior to the stream reaching a supercritical water reactor is presented. The salt containing water stream is preferably kept at temperatures below supercritical conditions as the stream is transferred to the reactor. After the salt stream reaches the reactor the temperature of the salt stream is preferably raised to the appropriate temperature by mixing the salt stream, within the reactor, with a second stream that has been heated above the supercritical temperature of water. Alternatively, a method for preventing the clogging of the conduits upstream from the reactor may involve the mixing of two subcritical waste streams. One stream may include salts, the other preferably includes oxidizable material. The heat produced by the reaction of the oxidizable materials within the reactor preferably allows the mixture to remain at supercritical conditions for a time sufficient to oxidize substantially all of the oxidizable material.