Oxidation chemistry of energetic materials in supercritical water

Journal Article · · Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1089/hwm.1993.10.233· OSTI ID:6032546

Harradine, D M; Buelow, S J; Dell'orco, P C; Dyer, R B; Foy, B R; Robinson, J M; Sanchez, J A; Spontarelli, T ^[1]; Wander, J D ^[2]

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1. Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
2. Headquarters Air Force Civil Engineering Support Agency, Tyndall AFB, FL (United States)

Explosives and pyrotechnics (PEPs) are traditionally disposed of by open burning/open detonation (OB/OD). Regulatory agencies, however, are likely to prohibit OB/OD because of the uncontrolled air emissions and soil contamination. Likewise, controlled incineration carries a liability for air pollution because large quantities of NO[sub x] are produced in the conventional combustion chemistry of PEPs. Soil and ground water have already been contaminated with PEPs through normal operations at manufacturing plants and military bases. Incineration can be used for decontamination of these soils, with the associated liability for air pollution, but few satisfactory and economic methods exist for ground water decontamination. Therefore, a clear need exists for improved disposal and destruction methods. The destruction of explosives and rocket fuel components by oxidation in supercritical water is described. The focus is on the major technical issues that must be resolved to make a disposal process practical. These issues include the chemistry of the process and methods for high-throughput processing of the target waste. The destruction efficiencies, the products of reaction contained in the reactor effluents, and methods for achieving high-throughput destruction of several representative explosives and propellant components are reported. 7 refs., 4 figs., 8 tabs.

• OSTI ID: 6032546
• Journal Information: Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials; (United States), Journal Name: Hazardous Waste and Hazardous Materials; (United States) Vol. 10:2; ISSN 0882-5696; ISSN HWHME2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
400800 -- Combustion
Pyrolysis
& High-Temperature Chemistry
45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450100 -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense-- Chemical Explosions & Explosives
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540220* -- Environment
Terrestrial-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM PERCHLORATES
CARBONIC ACID DERIVATIVES
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
CONTROL
ESTERS
EXPLOSIVES
GROUND WATER
GUANIDINES
HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDRAZINE
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
KINETICS
MANAGEMENT
NITRATES
NITRIC ACID ESTERS
NITRO COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PERCHLORATES
PETN
POLLUTION
PROCESS CONTROL
PROCESSING
REACTION KINETICS
SUPERCRITICAL STATE
TEMPERATURE RANGE
TEMPERATURE RANGE 0400-1000 K
TNT
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WATER
WET OXIDATION PROCESSES