skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Pilot-scale base hydrolysis processing of HMX-based plastic-bonded explosives

Abstract

Los Alamos National Laboratory has demonstrated that many energetic materials can be rendered non-energetic via reaction with sodium hydroxide or ammonia. This process is known as base hydrolysis. A pilot scale reactor has been developed to process up to 20 kg of plastic bonded explosive in a single batch operation. In this report, we discuss the design and operation of the pilot scale reactor for the processing of PBX 9404, a standard Department of Energy plastic bonded explosive containing HMX and nitrocellulose. Products from base hydrolysis, although non-energetic, still require additional processing before release to the environment Decomposition products, destruction efficiencies, and rates of reaction for base hydrolysis will be presented. Hydrothermal processing, previously known as supercritical water oxidation, has been proposed for converting organic products from hydrolysis to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and nitrous oxide. Base hydrolysis in combination with hydrothermal processing may yield a viable alternative to open burning/open detonation for destruction of many energetic materials.

Authors:
; ; ; ; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
OSTI Identifier:
273677
Report Number(s):
LA-UR-96-1798; CONF-9605192-2
ON: DE96012630
DOE Contract Number:  
W-7405-ENG-36
Resource Type:
Conference
Resource Relation:
Conference: 4. international symposium on special topics in chemical propulsion, Stockholm (Sweden), 27-31 May 1996; Other Information: PBD: [1996]
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE; 40 CHEMISTRY; CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES; ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS; WASTE PROCESSING; WASTE DISPOSAL; CHEMICAL REACTORS; SODIUM HYDROXIDES; AMMONIA

Citation Formats

Flesner, R L, Dell`orco, P C, Spontarelli, T, Bishop, R L, Skidmore, C, Uher, K J, and Kramer, J F. Pilot-scale base hydrolysis processing of HMX-based plastic-bonded explosives. United States: N. p., 1996. Web.
Flesner, R L, Dell`orco, P C, Spontarelli, T, Bishop, R L, Skidmore, C, Uher, K J, & Kramer, J F. Pilot-scale base hydrolysis processing of HMX-based plastic-bonded explosives. United States.
Flesner, R L, Dell`orco, P C, Spontarelli, T, Bishop, R L, Skidmore, C, Uher, K J, and Kramer, J F. 1996. "Pilot-scale base hydrolysis processing of HMX-based plastic-bonded explosives". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/273677.
@article{osti_273677,
title = {Pilot-scale base hydrolysis processing of HMX-based plastic-bonded explosives},
author = {Flesner, R L and Dell`orco, P C and Spontarelli, T and Bishop, R L and Skidmore, C and Uher, K J and Kramer, J F},
abstractNote = {Los Alamos National Laboratory has demonstrated that many energetic materials can be rendered non-energetic via reaction with sodium hydroxide or ammonia. This process is known as base hydrolysis. A pilot scale reactor has been developed to process up to 20 kg of plastic bonded explosive in a single batch operation. In this report, we discuss the design and operation of the pilot scale reactor for the processing of PBX 9404, a standard Department of Energy plastic bonded explosive containing HMX and nitrocellulose. Products from base hydrolysis, although non-energetic, still require additional processing before release to the environment Decomposition products, destruction efficiencies, and rates of reaction for base hydrolysis will be presented. Hydrothermal processing, previously known as supercritical water oxidation, has been proposed for converting organic products from hydrolysis to carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and nitrous oxide. Base hydrolysis in combination with hydrothermal processing may yield a viable alternative to open burning/open detonation for destruction of many energetic materials.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/273677}, journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996},
month = {Mon Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1996}
}

Conference:
Other availability
Please see Document Availability for additional information on obtaining the full-text document. Library patrons may search WorldCat to identify libraries that hold this conference proceeding.

Save / Share: