TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INSTRUMENTATION AND TESTING - Preferred Components: In the apparatus, the pre-treatment unit comprises: a feedstock preparation unit, including a slurrying device to create a feedstock slurry from the feedstock; a vessel communicating with the feedstock preparation unit to receive the feedstock slurry from the feedstock preparation unit; a pump configured to pressurize the slurry; and a heat exchanger configured to heat the slurry, to produce the heated slurry. In the apparatus, the first stage reactor additionally drives off steam that is redirected to the feedstock preparation unit. The apparatus further comprises a unit for receiving a portion of the at least one reacted liquid product and converting the portion into at least one specialty chemical. The apparatus is configured to accept a feedstock comprising rubber materials, food processing waste, mixed plastics, or municipal sewage sludge. The apparatus further comprises a storage unit for the at least one useful material. In the apparatus, the first increased pressure is 20-120 atmospheres, preferably 50 atmospheres. In the apparatus, the first reaction takes place at 150-330 degrees C. In the apparatus, the second increased temperature is 400-600 degrees C, and the second increased pressure is 15-50 psi above atmospheric pressure.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Process: In the process (A): converting comprises a second reaction at 400-600 degrees C; reacting comprises hydrolyzing and decomposing the conditioned slurry; and hydrolyzing and decomposing occur simultaneously. In the process (A), the heating step comprises: first heating the slurry to an initial elevated temperature sufficient to maintain the slurry in a liquid state and limit biological activity in the slurry, the initial elevated temperature is less than the first temperature; containing the slurry at the initial elevated temperature; and subsequently heating the slurry to the first temperature. In the process (A): the initial elevated temperature is 140 degrees F and the first temperature is 300 degrees F; containing comprises storing the slurry in a first storage tank and the heating to the first temperature occurs in a second storage tank; the heating the slurry to the first temperature is at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the slurry; and converting comprises subjecting the liquid mixture to a liquid/liquid separation. In the process (A), a fuel oil is produced from the liquid/liquid separation. In the process (A), converting further comprises subjecting the liquid mixture to at least a second reaction, where the second reaction takes place at 300-525 degrees C. In the process (A): the second reaction comprises cracking the liquid hydrocarbon fuel; and the decomposing comprises deaminating the feedstock. In the process (A), the decomposing further comprises decarboxylating the feedstock. In the process (A), reacting takes place: at a pressure of 20-120 atmospheres, preferably 50 atmospheres; and at 150-330 degrees C. In the process (A): reacting drives off at least one contaminant including at least one of a sulfur-containing material, a mercury-containing material, or a halogen-containing compound; reacting drives off steam; and the steam is redirected to heat the slurry during the preparing; the separating comprises a first separation and a second separation. The process (A), further comprises, prior to the converting, diverting a portion of the at least one reacted liquid product and separately converting the portion into at least one specialty chemical. In the process (A), the feedstock is mixed plastics (including PVC), and the first reaction drives off contaminants containing chlorine from the PVC. The process (B), further comprises: heating the slurry to a first temperature sufficient to breakdown components of the slurry at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the slurry to produce the conditioned slurry; and the first reaction comprises reacting the conditioned slurry at a second, higher temperature sufficient to hydrolyze materials in the conditioned slurry to produce the reacted feed, the pressure in the first reaction is at least at the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry. In the process (B): passing the slurry through a heat exchange heats the slurry to an initial elevated temperature sufficient to limit biological activity in the slurry; and heating the slurry to a first temperature is a separate heating step after the heat exchanger. In the process (B), the initial elevated temperature is 140 degrees F and the first temperature is 300 degrees F. In the method (B): the first reaction is conducted at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry, and at 150-400 degrees C; and the second reaction is conducted at 400-600 degrees C. The process (C) comprises: dissolving the rubber materials in a solvent; preparing a slurry from the rubber materials; heating the slurry to a first temperature sufficient to breakdown components of the slurry to produce a conditioned slurry; reacting the conditioned slurry in a first reaction at a second, higher temperature sufficient to hydrolyze materials in the conditioned slurry to produce a reacted feed comprising at least one reacted solid product, at least one reacted liquid product, and water, the pressure in the first reaction is at least at the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry; separating the at least one reacted solid product, the water, and the at least one reacted liquid product from the reacted feed; and converting the at least one reacted liquid product into oil. The process (D) comprises: preparing a slurry from the mixed plastics; heating the slurry to a first temperature sufficient to breakdown components of the slurry to produce a conditioned slurry; reacting the conditioned slurry with in a first reaction at a second, higher temperature sufficient to hydrolyze materials in the conditioned slurry to produce a reacted feed comprising at least one reacted solid product, at least one reacted liquid product, and water, the pressure in the first reaction is at least at the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry; separating the at least one reacted solid product, the water, and the at least one reacted liquid product from the reacted feed; and converting the at least one reacted liquid product into oil. The process (E) comprises: preparing a slurry from the municipal sewage sludge; heating the slurry to a first temperature sufficient to breakdown components of the slurry to produce a conditioned slurry; reacting the conditioned slurry with in a first reaction at a second, higher temperature sufficient to hydrolyze materials in the conditioned slurry to produce a reacted feed comprising at least one reacted solid product, at least one reacted liquid product, and water, the pressure in the first reaction is at least at the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry; separating the at least one reacted solid product, the water, and the at least one reacted liquid product from the reacted feed; and converting the at least one reacted liquid product into oil. The process (F) comprises: preparing a slurry from the feedstock; heating the slurry where at least one gas is released to produce a conditioned slurry; reacting the conditioned slurry in a reaction where steam and gas are liberated to produce a reacted feed comprising at least one reacted solid product, and at least one reacted liquid product comprising an organic liquor and produced water, where the produced water comprises water with solubles and the organic liquor comprises a liquid that contains a mixture of carbon-containing species; lowering temperature and pressure of the reacted feed, to produce an intermediate feed; separating the at least one reacted solid product from the intermediate feed, thus producing a mixture comprising organic liquor and produced water; separating the produced water from the organic liquor; and subjecting the organic liquor to a liquid-liquid separation to produce at least an oil fraction. In the process (C), the first reaction takes place at 250-400 degrees C. In the process (C), the solvent is oil obtained from the converting. In the process (C), the first reaction takes place at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the slurry. In the process (C), the converting comprises a liquid/liquid separation. In the process (C), the converting further comprises a second reaction, where the second reaction takes place at 300-525 degrees C. The process (C), further comprises in the second reaction, converting the at least one solid product into a mixture of hydrocarbon oils, fuel gas and a mixture of minerals and carbon. In the process (D), the first reaction takes place at 200-250 degrees C. In the process (D), the converting comprises a liquid/liquid separation. In the process (D), the converting further comprises a second reaction, where the second reaction takes place at 300-525 degrees C. In the process (D), the heating is at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the slurry. The process (D) further comprises in the second reaction, converting the at least one solid product into a mixture of hydrocarbon oils, fuel gas or a mixture of minerals and carbon. In the process (E), the first reaction takes place at 170-250 degrees C. In the process (E), the converting comprises a liquid/liquid separation. In the process (E), the converting further comprises a second reaction, where the second reaction takes place at 300-525 degrees C. In the process (E), the heating is at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the slurry. The process (E), further comprises in the second reaction, converting the at least one solid product into a mixture of hydrocarbon oils, fuel gas or a mixture of minerals and carbon. In the process (F): the heating comprises heating the slurry to a first temperature sufficient to breakdown components of the slurry to produce the conditioned slurry; and the reacting comprises reacting the conditioned slurry at a second, higher temperature sufficient to hydrolyze materials in the conditioned slurry to produce the reacted feed, the pressure of the reacting is at least at the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry. In the process (F), the heating comprises: initially heating the slurry to an initial elevated temperature sufficient to limit biological activity in the slurry; and subsequently heating the slurry to a first temperature higher than the initial elevated temperature in a separate heating step after the initial heating, the subsequent heating is at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the slurry. In the process (F), the initial elevated temperature is 140 degrees F and the first temperature is 300 degrees F. In the process (F), the reacting is at a pressure above the saturation pressure of water in the conditioned slurry. In the process (F), the reacting is at 150-400 degrees C. The process (F) further comprises subjecting a product of the liquid-liquid separation to a second reaction where carbon solids and a mixture of hydrocarbon vapor and gases are produced. In the process (F), the feedstock comprises by-products of food manufacture (animal offal), agricultural wastes, rubber materials, mixed plastics (including PVC), municipal solid waste or municipal sewage sludge. Preferred Components: The reacted liquid product comprises at least one fat derivative or fatty acid. The reacted solid product comprises at least one mineral compound. The specialty chemical comprises a fatty acid. The fuel oil has a heat content of 18800 British thermal unit/pound.