National Academies Press: OpenBook

Review of Secondary Waste Disposal Planning for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants (2008)

Chapter: Appendix C: Physical Properties of Chemical Agents in Munitions Stored at Blue Grass Army Depot and Pueblo Chemical Depot

« Previous: Appendix B: Definition of "Generator Knowledge"
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Physical Properties of Chemical Agents in Munitions Stored at Blue Grass Army Depot and Pueblo Chemical Depot." National Research Council. 2008. Review of Secondary Waste Disposal Planning for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12210.
×
Page 59
Suggested Citation:"Appendix C: Physical Properties of Chemical Agents in Munitions Stored at Blue Grass Army Depot and Pueblo Chemical Depot." National Research Council. 2008. Review of Secondary Waste Disposal Planning for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. doi: 10.17226/12210.
×
Page 60

Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.

Appendix C Physical Properties of Chemical Agents in Munitions Stored at Blue Grass Army Depot and Pueblo Chemical Depot Munitions containing the nerve agents GB and VX agent HD or HT are stored at Pueblo Chemical Depot. Values are stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot as are munitions for a number of physical properties of these agents are given containing mustard agent H. Munitions containing mustard in Tables C-1 and C-2. TABLE C-1 Physical Properties of Nerve Agents Agent Characteristic GB VX Chemical formula C4H10FO2P C11H26NO2PS Molecular weight 140.10 267.38 Boiling point (°C) 150 (extrapolated) 292 (extrapolated) Freezing point (°C) −56 ≤51 Vapor pressure at 25°C (mm Hg) 2.48 0.000878 Volatility ����� (mg/m3 ) at 25°C������ 18,700 12.6 Surface tension������ ���������� at 20°C (dynes/cm) 26.5 32.0 Kinematic viscosity (cSt) 1.28 at 25°C 12.26 at 20°C Liquid density at 25°C (g/cm3) 1.0887 1.0083 Solubility (g/100 g of distilled water) 100; soluble in organic solvents 5 at 25°C; best solvents are dilute mineral acids Heat of vaporization (cal/g) 82.9 71.8 Heat of combustion (cal/g) 5,600 8,300 SOURCE: NRC, 2005; Abercrombie, 2003. 59

60 Review of secondary waste disposal Planning TABLE C-2 Physical Properties of Mustard Agentsa Agent Characteristic HD HTb Chemical name Bis (2-chloroethyl) sulfide or 2,2'-dichlorodiethyl Same as HD with 20 to 40 wt% agent T, bis[2-   sulfide   (2-chlorethylthio) ethyl] ether Chemical formula C4H8Cl2S Not applicable Molecular weight 159.07 188.96 (based on 60/40 wt%) Vapor density (relative to air) 5.5 (calculated) 6.5 (calculated based on 60/40 wt%) Boiling point (°C) 218 (extrapolated) No constant boiling point Decomposition temperature (oC) 180 165 to 180 Freezing point (°C) 14.45 1.3 (measured as melting point) Vapor pressure at 25°C (mm Hg) 0.106 7.7 × 10–2 (calculated based on Raoult’s law   equation) Volatility at 25°C (mg/m3) 9.06 × 102 (calculated from vapor pressure) 7.83 × 102 (calculated from vapor pressure) Diffusion coefficient for vapor in air (cm2/sec) 0.060 at 20°C (68°F) 0.05 at 25°C (77°F) Flash point (°C) 105 Flash point range 109 to 115 Surface tension (dynes/cm) 43.2 at 20°C (68°F) 44 at 25°C (77°F) Viscosity at 20°C (cSt) 3.52 6.05 Liquid density at 25oC (g/cm3) 1.2685 1.263 Solubility (g/100 g of distilled water) 0.092 at 22°C (72°F); soluble in acetone, carbon Slightly soluble in water; soluble in most   tetrachloride, chloroform, tetrachloroethane,   organic solvents   ethyl benzoate, ether Heat of vaporization Not available (Btu/lb) 190 (J/g) 82 Heat of combustion Not available (Btu/lb) 8,100 (J/g) 3,482 aMustard agents are labeled H, HD, and HT. The active ingredient in all these blister agents is bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide, or (ClCH CH ) S. HD, called the 2 2 2 distilled mustard, is nominally pure mustard agent. H, often called Levinstein mustard, was approximately 70% pure mustard agent and 30% impurities at the time of manufacture. However, the stored H mustard agent has deteriorated over time and its physical properties are highly variable. H is the only form of mustard agent stored at Blue Grass Army Depot. bOverall proportional composition of the mixture. HT is prepared by a chemical process that synthesizes the HT directly in such a way that it contains both the HD and T constituents without further formulation. SOURCES: Adapted from U.S. Army, 1988; Abercrombie, 2003; BPT, 2004. References release to NRC, January 16. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.: Program Manager, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. Abercrombie, P.L. 2003. Physical Property Data Review of Selected NRC. 2005. Interim Design Assessment for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Chemical Agents and Related Compounds: Updated Field Manual 3-9 Destruction Pilot Plant. Washington, D.C.: The National Academies (FM 3-9), ECBC-TR-294, September. Edgewood, Md.: U.S. Army Press. Edgewood Chemical Biological Center. U.S. Army. 1988. Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program Final Program- BPT (Bechtel Pueblo Team). 2004. Initial Design for the Pueblo Chemical matic Environmental Impact Statement. Aberdeen Proving Ground, Agent Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) Project, Rev. A—redacted for Md.: U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency.

Next: Appendix D: Results from Technical Risk Reduction Program Activity 2a, Phase II, for GB and Activity 11 for VX »
Review of Secondary Waste Disposal Planning for the Blue Grass and Pueblo Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants Get This Book
×
Buy Paperback | $29.00 Buy Ebook | $23.99
MyNAP members save 10% online.
Login or Register to save!
Download Free PDF

The U.S. Army Program Manager for Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PMACWA) is charged with disposing of chemical weapons as stored at two sites: Pueblo, Colorado, and Blue Grass, Kentucky. In accordance with congressional mandates, technologies other than incineration are to be used if they are as safe and as cost effective. The weapons are to be disposed of in compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention. Although an element of the U.S. Army, the PMACWA is responsible to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Acquisitions, Technology, and Logistics for completing this mission.

This book deals with the expected significant quantities of secondary wastes that will be generated during operations of the facilities and their closure. While there are only estimates for the waste quantities that will be generated, they provide a good basis for planning and developing alternatives for waste disposal while the plants are still in the design phase. Establishing efficient disposal options for the secondary wastes can enable more timely and cost-effective operation and closure of the facilities.

  1. ×

    Welcome to OpenBook!

    You're looking at OpenBook, NAP.edu's online reading room since 1999. Based on feedback from you, our users, we've made some improvements that make it easier than ever to read thousands of publications on our website.

    Do you want to take a quick tour of the OpenBook's features?

    No Thanks Take a Tour »
  2. ×

    Show this book's table of contents, where you can jump to any chapter by name.

    « Back Next »
  3. ×

    ...or use these buttons to go back to the previous chapter or skip to the next one.

    « Back Next »
  4. ×

    Jump up to the previous page or down to the next one. Also, you can type in a page number and press Enter to go directly to that page in the book.

    « Back Next »
  5. ×

    To search the entire text of this book, type in your search term here and press Enter.

    « Back Next »
  6. ×

    Share a link to this book page on your preferred social network or via email.

    « Back Next »
  7. ×

    View our suggested citation for this chapter.

    « Back Next »
  8. ×

    Ready to take your reading offline? Click here to buy this book in print or download it as a free PDF, if available.

    « Back Next »
Stay Connected!