There is, currently, simultaneous public resistance to traditional waste handling procedures and a compelling need to destroy both military and civilian hazardous waste. Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is one developing technology particularly appropriate for treating a broad range of dilute aqueous organic wastes. Above its critical point (374°C and 221 atm) water is a low density fluid possessing properdes immediate between the use of a liquid and a gas, and solvation characteristics more typical of a low polarity organic than water. Although this is a promising technology, a critical issue in its development will be the ability to overcome severe degradation problems of the materials of construction. While titanium and platinum liners have showcase for some hazardous military feed streams, costs are high. Although nickel alloys are considered important for severe service, the indication is that they will not survive certain SCWO environments. Nevertheless, there is evidence that judicious feed modificaticm may be employed to mitigate corrosion ad reduce fabrication cost. Exposure studies have teen accomplished for various alloys over a range of temperatures from 300-600°C. Experiments have been carried out in environments as inocuous as deionized water and as aggressive as highly chlorinated aqueous organic feed streams. Analysis of a number of failed components has provided enlightenment on degradation mechanisms and cracking, pitting and elevated corrosion rates are all observed in these systems. For chlorinated feed streams, both dealloying and cracking have been observed for alloy C-276. Samples exposed to a highly chlorinated organic indicate that the high-nickel alloys brhave significantly better at 600°C than stainless steel type 316.
Keywords Supercritical water oxidation, alloy C-276, stainless steel type 316, stress corrosion cracking, dealloying