Review and Evaluation of Alternative Technologies for Demilitarization of Assembled Chemical Weapons (1999) / Chapter Skim
Currently Skimming:
9 Teledyne-Commodore Solvated Electron Technology Package
9 Teledyne-Commodore Solvated Electron Technology Package
Pages 133-155
The Chapter Skim interface presents what we've algorithmically identified as the most significant single chunk of text within every page in the chapter.
Select key terms on the right to highlight them within pages of the chapter.
From page 133... ...
· Solvated electron technology (SET) is used to destroy chemical agent, deactivate energetic materials, and decontaminate metal parts and dunnage.
|
From page 134... ...
The pressurized fluid from the intensifier pump Is passed through a chiller to reduce the temperature of the liquid "significantly" below room temperature because prechilling is reported by the technology provider to enhance the jet cutting properties of the liquid ammonia. The proposal does not include details on the chiller or the optimum temperature of the fluid jet stream.
|
From page 136... ...
The evaporated ammonia and off-gases from the SET reaction are collected in holding tanks for testing prior to venting to the gas-treatment train (Area 800~. The slurry from the SET reaction, still at elevated pressure, is treated with water to destroy the excess sodium.
|
From page 137... ...
The gaseous ammonia released in the SET reaction results from evaporation, which is used to control the temperature of the liquid mixture. In the proposed full-scale system, the gaseous ammonia from the hydrolysis reaction is produced in the agent-ammonia recovery tower (see Area 400~.
|
From page 138... ...
The expected initial reaction of GB in the SET process is cleavage of the phosphorus-fluorine bond by a solvated electron to form sodium fluoride. Measured results, scaled up to 100 pounds of GB, are TABLE 9-2 Measured Results for the SET/Hydrolysis Reaction of HD based on Laboratory Data and Scaled Up to 100 lb of Agent Material NH3 (liquid)
|
From page 139... ...
The purpose of this oxidation step is to eliminate CWC Schedule 2 compounds by converting all organic phosphorus to H3C\ 1 1 + ° CH O P O NH4 H3C P O Na H3C I I CH3 0 Na Ammonium isopropyl methyl phosphonate H3C P +Na 1 Disodium methyl phosphonate H3C P-NH O- +NH 0- +NH Sodium ammonium methyl phosphinate o 11 HC P O-+NH 1 O- +NH Ammonium methyl phosphonamide 4 Diammonium methyl phosphonate FIGURE 9-5 Formulas for the more complex reaction products from SET/hydrolysis of GB. aThese compounds are more commonly called phosphonites.
|
From page 140... ...
An analysis of the condensed-phase product showed only 69 percent conversion of phos TABLE 9-5 Measured Results for the SET/Hydrolysis Reactions of VX based on Laboratory Data and Scaled Up to 100 lb of Agent SET Reaction (lb) Hydrolysis (lb)
|
From page 141... ...
N N', N', - tetraisopropyl piperazine S 11 + H3C P O Na O +NH4 Sodium ammonium methyl phosphorothiolate FIGURE 9-6 Formulas for the more complex reaction products from SET/hydrolysis of VX.
|
From page 142... ...
SET Reduction fo//owed by Hydro/ysis (Area 300) The slurry produced from the wash-out of energetic material in Area 100 is collected in a carbon steel vessel, approximately 2.5 feet in internal diameter and 7 feet in height, and diluted with ammonia to a "standard composition." A solution of sodium in liquid ammonia is formed, pumped to a reactor vessel, and mixed with the diluted energetic slurry.
|
From page 143... ...
Sodium was added incrementally, and at a Na/Comp B ratio of TABLE 9-8 Identified SET Reaction Products of Treatment of RDX Products Quantity Nitrite Tonic cyanide Gases releaseda 3. 1-26 mg/g 0.016-15.8 mg/g 55-140 mug aO.21 percent hydrogen; 11-455 ppm methane; and 2-115 ppm ethane.
|
From page 144... ...
According to the technology provider, the hydrolyzed residues of SET treatment of energetics contain cyanides at levels that exceed regulatory limits. Alkaline chlorination, the cyanide destruction method in most common use, is not applicable to the hydrolysates because hypochlorite reacts with ammonia to form nitrogen bichloride, a strong irritant.
|
From page 145... ...
On-line electric sensors detect ammonia leakage into secondary-containment piping; excessive leakage automatically activates a shutdown and maintenance request. The rotary index tables are equipped with sensors that monitor the position of munition parts and the operation of the fluidjet cutting components.
|
From page 146... ...
TABLE 9-11 Process Inputs for the Teledyne Commodore Technology Package for VX-filled M55 Rockets Processed at a rate of 20/hr Process Inputs Mass Flow (lb/hr) Munitions Agent VX Propellant Other energetics Metal parts Abrasive Sodium (for agent)
|
From page 147... ...
, Teledyne-Commodore proposes substituting ammonia for water in the fluidjet cutting operation mainly because the primary treatment process is carried out in anhydrous liquid ammonia. Teledyne-Commodore also mentions several advantages of ammonia over water.
|
From page 148... ...
Teledyne-Commodore claims that ammoniajet cutting was 25 percent faster than waterjet cutting, but no details were provided on how the comparison was made. TABLE 9-15 Process Outputs for the Teledyne Commodore Package for HD-Filled 155 mm Projectiles Processed at a rate of looter Process Outputs Mass Flow (lb/hr)
|
From page 149... ...
According to the data in Table 9-3, 112 lb water/100 lb GB was added to the SET reaction products in the hydrolysis step; and 122 lb aqueous solution/100 lb GB was generated. The committee calculated that dissolved solids in the aqueous solution would be 10 lb/100 lb GB, far less than the quantities hypothesized by the Technology Provider in Table 9-4 for NaOH and NaF, both of which the committee expected to partition largely to the aqueous phase.
|
From page 150... ...
When chemical agents are treated, color changes provide a visual indication of the completion of the SET reduction process, and measurements of conductivity provide a quantitative indication. When energetics are treated, the persistence of the blue color characteristic of solutions of sodium in liquid ammonia can be masked by the intense colors of solutions of energetics in liquid ammonia.
|
From page 151... ...
Therefore, the possibility of runaway reactions cannot be ruled out at this time. Applicability The SET process has been applied at a reduced scale to a wide range of agents, energetics, agent/energetic combinations, and solid coupons contaminated with agent and energetics and is conceptually applicable to all assembled chemical weapons types in the U.S.
|
From page 152... ...
a high-pressure (28.2 atm; 400 psi") fluidjet wash-out using liquid anhydrous ammonia to remove remaining agent and energetics from the munition cavities inside the munitions ac cess vessel an abrasives-removal system for separating garnet or other abrasives from the ammonia cutting fluid a fuze-removal machine for extracting intact fuzes after agent and energetics have been removed an explosion-containment chamber in which fuzes, removed from the munitions in the mu nitions access vessel, are initiated to effect their destruction by detonation a system for removing munitions metals and packaging a shredder system for rocket and land-mine bodies and packaging for these items a destruction system: six SET reactors for the destruction of agent and energetics and the decontamination of dun nage, shredded rockets and land mines and their packaging, abrasives used in cutting, and fuze parts; the reactors use a solvated-electron solution consisting of sodium dissolved in liq uid anhydrous ammonia ammonia-recovery systems for the agent and energetics SET reactors separate oxidation reactors for reaction prod ucts from the agent and energetic SET reactors water wash-out chambers to remove remain ing sodium from all solids (e.g., dunnage, metal parts, fuze parts, etc.)
|
From page 153... ...
These operations will have to be safe and the maintenance and repair requirements minimal; at the same time, high throughputs will have to be maintained. The ammonia-agent and ammonia-energetic slurries will be mixed with liquid sodium to provide the solvated electrons for reducing chemical bonds.
|
From page 154... ...
The process produces many solid wastes, including metal parts, dunnage, sodium salts, ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES FOR DEMILITARIZATION OF ASSEMBLED CHEMICAL WEAPONS polymeric materials, lead salt, and various organics. These wastes are the end products of final treatment methods that have not yet been optimized.
|
From page 155... ...
STEPS REQUIRED FOR IMPLEMENTATION The technology provider will have to take the following steps prior to implementation: · verity products of bibl/hydrolys~s of agents through experimentation · establish optimum conditions for SETlhydrolysis of agents through laboratory tests, followed by pilot-plant demonstration identify the unknown precipitates of SET-energetics reactions establish optimum conditions for the oxidation of residuals from SETlhydrolysis of both agents and energetics through laboratory tests, followed by pilot-plant demonstration test waste-disposal methods · pilot test methods for decontaminating metal parts . and dunnage revise the preliminary design for the hypothetical system, especially the interfaces between the unit processes and operations, and demonstrate the revised design at pilot-scale 155 FINDINGS Finding TC-1.
|
Key Terms
This material may be derived from roughly machine-read images, and so is provided only to facilitate research.
More
information on Chapter Skim is available.