Review and Evaluation of Alternative Chemical Disposal Technologies (1996) / Chapter Skim
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8 NEUTRALIZATION TECHNOLOGY FOR NERVE AGENT VX
8 NEUTRALIZATION TECHNOLOGY FOR NERVE AGENT VX
Pages 143-154
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From page 143... ...
The reasons for choosing this process rather than the superficially attractive in situ process are discussed in the Technology Status section below. If this technology is selected for pilot demonstration, the TPC states that the neutralization products will be shipped to a commercial TSDF that uses biological oxidation for further treatment prior to final disposal.
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From page 144... ...
Solution FIGURE 8-1 Block flow diagram of VX neutralization with sodium hydroxide and sodium hypochlorite. agent and EA-2192 are below 20 ppb' before release from the toxics control area.
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From page 145... ...
Drained ton containers are rinsed with hot water to dissolve residual agent. The resulting solution is drained and the rinsing process 145 Waste Treatment repeated.
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From page 146... ...
Much the same reaction occurs during EVALUATION OFALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES hydrolysis with neutral water, but the resulting EMPA is present as the corresponding acid rather than the sodium salt. A major advantage of the alkaline hydrolysis process became evident during neutralization studies on impure munitions-grade VX that contained small amounts of a compound containing two P-S bonds.
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From page 147... ...
TECHNOLOGY STATUS alkaline Hydrolysis The neutralization technology chosen for destroying VX agent stored at Newport was developed on the basis of previous experience and ongoing research. Although not much has been reported about the alkaline hydrolysis of VX, caustic (sodium hydroxide)
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From page 148... ...
As a consequence of these complications in the in situ process, the TPC elected to concentrate further devel opment work on the alkaline hydrolysis carried out in a conventional reactor. Testing of the in situ process in ton containers continues at the Chemical Agent Munitions Disposal System facility in Utah.
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From page 149... ...
The sodium content of the spent caustic solution is not expected to be of concern to either the neutralization or subsequent treatment processes because it replaces some of the sodium hydroxide required by the agent neutralization process. Current monitoring methods developed for the baseline system should be adequate for these operations.
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From page 150... ...
The primary reasons for adding hypochIorite are to reduce the foul odor of the hydrolysate and to make the hydrolysate more amenable to subsequent biological treatment. Upon completion of the hypochlorite oxidation, the waste is analyzed to ensure complete agent destruction and pumped to an external storage tank, where additional water and hypochIorite are added to prepare the effluent for off-site disposal.
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From page 151... ...
Operational Modes The operations of punching and draining ton containers and then decontaminating and packaging them for off-site shipping constitute a batch process. Although it might be conducted on an eight-hour-per-day basis, the current size limit on the agent storage tank is likely to require a close coupling of the container draining operation with subsequent agent processing.
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From page 152... ...
B ased on processing agent at 3,200 kg/day, 3,300 kg/day of 40 wt pet caustic is required for neutraTization. Treatment of the resulting hydrolysate before shipping requires 15,900 kg/day of 15 percent sodium hypochlorite solution, which is diluted for use to 5 percent concentration.
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From page 153... ...
As noted in the Technology Status section, the TPC has gained considerable operational experience with this neutralization process through repeated bench-scale tests using 114-liter reactors. If a contractor is hired to run the pilot plant and full-scale facilities, the contractor should have an established record of experience in operations on a similar scale with hazardous materials.
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From page 154... ...
, the TPC has proposed a plausible schedule for destroying the VX stored at Newport using the neutralization process followed by off-site biotreatment. The TPC proposes that pilot testing be done in one reactor line of a production-scale facility to be built at the Newport site.
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