Destruction of explosives and rocket fuels by supercritical water oxidation

Conference · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:7037348

Dyer, R B; Buelow, S J; Harradine, D M; Robinson, J M; Foy, B R; Atencio, J H; Dell'Orco, P C; Funk, K A; McInroy, R E; Rofer, C K; Counce, D A; Trujillo, Jr, P E ^[1]; Wander, J D ^[2]

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

Traditional methods for disposing of PEPs have been open burning or open detonation (OB/OD); however, regulatory agencies are likely to prohibit OB/OD because of the uncontrolled air emissions and soil contaminations. 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. A clear need exists for improved disposal and destruction methods. The destruction of energetic materials, including propellants, explosives and pyrotechnics (PEPS) by oxidation in supercritical water is described. The focus is on the chemistry of the process. The destruction efficiencies and products of reaction contained in the aqueous and gaseous effluents of several representative PEPs are reported.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Lab., NM (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE; DOD; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Department of Defense, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-36
• OSTI ID: 7037348
• Report Number(s): LA-UR-92-2378; CONF-9206231--1; ON: DE92018874
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320305 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
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-)
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CHEMICAL EXPLOSIVES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
CHEMICAL REACTORS
EXPLOSIVES
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INFRARED SPECTRA
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
OXIDATION
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
PROPELLANTS
PYROTECHNIC DEVICES
REMOVAL
ROCKETS
SPECTRA
SUPERCRITICAL STATE
TEMPERATURE DEPENDENCE
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WATER
WET OXIDATION PROCESSES