Technique for removal of organics and dissolved solids from aqueous medias via supercritical treatment

Abstract

Flow and product waste water from fracturing can be cleaned and reused utilizing a precipitation methodology incorporating, in part, a super critical reactor. Initially, the waste water is treated to remove solids, destroy bacteria, and precipitate out certain salts, such as barium, strontium, calcium, magnesium and iron. The waste water then can be passed through a radioactive material adsorption unitto remove radium, as well as other radioactive materials, and then introduced into the super critical reactor. The super critical reactor is designed to bring the waste water to super critical conditions at a central portion of the reactor. This causes any dissolve solids, in particular sodium chloride and the like, to precipitate out of solution in the centerof the reactorthereby avoiding scale formation on the walls of the reactor. A catalyst can be utilized to promote the breakdown of carbon bonds and promote the water/gas shift reaction. The effluent from the super critical reactor is then cooled and any formed gases separated from the remaining liquid. The remaining liquid can then be introduced back into the environment and the gases can be used to heat the super critical reactor.