Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant - Technology

Technology

The Department of Defense conducted studies to evaluate potential impacts of the elimination of these weapons using incineration and non-incineration methods for the plant. Four technologies were considered:

• incineration
• chemical neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation (SCWO)
• chemical neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation and gas phase chemical reduction
• electrochemical oxidation

The Department of Defense selected neutralization followed by SCWO for use at the depot. The method comprises the following steps:

• Munitions are disassembled by modified reverse assembly.
• The chemical agent and energetics are separated. Agent and energetics are chemically mixed with caustic or water to destroy the chemical agent using hydrolysis. The resulting chemical compounds are known as hydrolysates.
• Hydrolysates are held and tested to ensure agent destruction before proceeding to secondary treatment.
• The agent and energetic hydrolysates are fed to the SCWO units to destroy the organic materials. SCWO subjects the hydrolysate to very high temperatures and pressures, breaking them down into carbon dioxide, water and salts.
• Metal parts are thermally decontaminated by high-pressure water washout and heating to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 15 minutes. The metal parts can then be safely recycled.
• Gas effluents are filtered through a series of HEPA and carbon filters before being released to the atmosphere. Water is recycled into the pilot plant facility and reused as part of the destruction process.