System and process for producing halogen oxides

Abstract

A system and process for oxidizing inorganic or organic species is disclosed. The system and process includes feeding a dilute aqueous alkali metal halite solution into an cation exchange column, wherein the cation exchange column contains a cation exchange material; contacting the dilute aqueous alkali metal halite solution with the cation exchange material to produce an effluent containing halous acid; feeding the effluent containing halous acid into a catalytic reactor containing a catalytic material; and contacting the halous acid containing effluent with the catalytic material to produce a halogen oxide.

1 . A process for generating chlorous acid, comprising: 
 contacting a chlorite salt precursor with a cation exchange material in the hydrogen form in a moist environment and outside an electric field for a time sufficient to form chlorous acid.    
     
     
         2 . The process as described in  claim 1 , wherein said cation exchange material is mixed with an additive.  
     
     
         3 . The process as described in  claim 1 , wherein said chlorous acid contacts a catalytic material in a moist environment for a time sufficient to form chlorine dioxide.  
     
     
         4 . A process for generating chlorous acid and chlorine dioxide, comprising contacting a chlorite salt precursor with a cation exchange material in the hydrogen form and a catalytic material in a moist environment and outside an electric field for a time sufficient to form chlorous acid and chlorine dioxide together.  
     
     
         5 . The process as described in  claim 4 , wherein said catalytic material is on said cation exchange material.  
     
     
         6 . The process as described in  claim 4 , wherein said catalytic material is an ion exchange material.