Alternative Technologies for the Destruction of Chemical Agents and Munitions (1993) / Chapter Skim
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Pages 62-73
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From page 62... ...
GB, and VX by incineration has, however, been demonstrated to be technically feasible. CHEMICAL WARFARE AGENT DESTRUCTION IN OTHER COUNTRIES Other countries have experience with destruction of chemical warfare agents of the types held by the United States by technologies of current interest.
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From page 63... ...
Disposal Much of the hydrolysis products incinerated (some spread on prairie land for further degradation; sludge left in the reaction vats to be buried) Duration 3 years, completed October 1976; Incineration program, 10 months Rate 1400 gallons/day (incineration of hydrolyzate)
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From page 64... ...
and environmental monitoring programs Also incinerated were 375 tons of contaminated shredded metal, 4 tons of dunnage packed in cardboard boxes, 4 tons of neutralized nerve agent solution (cardboard boxes caused excess particulate matter that necessitated use of filters and reduced processing rate; incinerated scrap metal melted in a foundry and recycled) ; high community participation, including membership on committee to write impact statement; project completed and incinerator removed Source: McAndless (1992a,b)
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From page 65... ...
diluted with water to 3X total volume increase (4,500 L total) Incineration Incinerated together with mustard-contaminated scrap metal in transportable unit (see Table ~9~; scrubbed flue gas with aqueous NaOH Effluents CON and HERO in discharged vapor and potassium and sodium chloride.
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From page 66... ...
66 ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TABLE 3-~1 German Experience with Mustard Agent Destruction Destruction Method Characteristic Site Data Site Agent Amount Form Separation Munster/Oertze Mustard and thickened mustard containing arsenicals About 70 metric tons/year total agent, ongoing program Old munitions and bulk containers Cleaned with water jet, explosive ordinance demolition evaluation, transport, x-rayed, and cut, or drilled and drained; drained with steam injection if agent solidified; e~Iosives and fuzes separated; intermediate storage of agent Incineration Batch-incinerated agent (hold at 300°C for 10-12 hours in inert gas atmosphere, then at 1000-1200°C for 2 seconds; empty munitions and containers kept about 12 hours at 1000°C) ; scrub flue gases with NaOH solution; precipitate arsenic in scrubber brine as ferric arsenate; pass flue gas through aerosol separator Effluents CO2 and H2O in discharged vapor, NaCl and Na2SO4 in scrubber brine, and ferric arsenate Efficiency Data not available Monitoring Continuous monitoring for HCl, SO2, hydrocarbons, and NOX; discontinuous monitoring for particulates and dionns in vapor effluent and for sulfate and pH in scrubber brine Disposal Scrubber brine discharged into municipal waste water system; filtered arsenic sludge placed in old salt mine Duration Began 1980, continuing Rate About 70 metric tons/year, total agent; up to 350 kg/day Cost/ton DM 2s,0ao Comments Highly automated operation (except for loading and unloading furnace wagons)
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From page 67... ...
GB, GD, and mustard About 300 tonnes (including VX, see Table 3-13) Munitions Separation Drilled and vacuum-evacuated Neutralization Incineration Effluents Exigency Monitoring Rate Cost/ton Batch-neutralized in ethanolamine at 100°C for 30 45 minutes with water or NaOH added to reduce viscosity Batch-incineration of neutralization reaction products without gas scrubbing CO2, HC1, NaF, NO2, POx' SO2, and sodium salts Reportedly 99.99999% (nerve agent)
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From page 68... ...
Munitions Munitions drilled and agent drained Batch-neutralized with 1:1 mixture of ethylene glycol and phosphoric acid Batch-incineration of neutralization reaction products without gas scrubbing CO2, NO2, POx, and SO2 Reportedly 99.99999% Data not available Data not available Reactor capacity 600L; average 198~1990 rate was about 20 tonnes/year Data not available Mobile apparatus (known as the KUASI system) Source: Conference on Disarmament CD/CW/WP.367, Geneva, October 7, 1991; SFIL-CMT (1992~; Manley (1992b)
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From page 69... ...
Separation Overpacked, trucked, x-rayed, remotely cut, drilled and drained Incineration Batch-incinerated 2 - 3 seconds at 1200°C; quenched and then scrubbed flue gas with aqueous NaOH Efficiency ~ 99.9999% Monitoring Analysis for CO, HCl, SO2, and trace organiCs in vapor; analysis for trace .
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From page 70... ...
70 ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TABLE 3-15 U.K Expenence with GB Destruction Destruction Method Characteristic Site Data Site Amount corm CDE Nancekuke, Cornwall About 20 tons Bunk agent Vacuum transfer from bunk tanks Neutralization Batch-neutralized with aqueous 20% NaOH; diluted with water to <200 ppm fluoride Effluents Sodium isopropyl methylphosphonate, NaOH and NaF; final volume increase of effluents SAX greater than volume of agent destroyed Efficiency > 99.9999% Monitoring For each batch, measurement of pH, fluoride, acetylcholinesterase activity, and toxicity to brine shrimp before disposal Disposal Discharge at depth into coastal sea Duration 2 years, 1967 - 1968 Rate 250 kg/batch, 2 - 3 hours/cycle Cost/ton Data not available Comments Outside environmental review after completion; destruction carried out in converted GB production plant Source: Manley (1992a,b)
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From page 71... ...
AND FOREIGN EXPERIENCE TABLE 3-16 U K Experience with Mustard Destn~ction 71 Destruction Method Characteristic Site Data Site Several sites within the United Kingdom Amount About 6,000 tons Form BuLic agent Separation Pumped from storage tanks Incineration Continuous, at well above 600°C; flue gas scrubbed with aqueous NaOH Effluents CO2 and H2O in discharged vapor, NaCl and Na2SO4 in scrubber brine Eff~ciengy Not stated Monitoring Analysis for mustard Disposal Not stated Duration 1958 - 1960 Rate Data not- available Cost/ton Not stated (pilot operation in 1956 estimated as 18 current pounds sterling per ton)
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From page 72... ...
Vacuum-transferred from bulk storage tanks; munitions vacuumed drained through filling plugs or when necessary through holes creating by drilling or explosives charges Incineration Continuous, at 1100°C for 3 - 4 seconds; quenched and scrubbed flue gas with aqueous NaOH Effluents CO2, H2O, and SO2 in discharged vapor, NaC1 and Na2SO4 in scrubber brine Efficiency Estimated >99.9999% Monitoring Continuous for CO, CO2, and O2 in flue gas, as indicators of combustion efficiency, continuous for pH of scrubber brine; discontinuous for mustard in flue gas and scrubber brine Disposad Scrubber brine discharged to pit containing limestone (to be covered after evaporation) Duration Estimated 9 months for incineration, 1992-1993 Rate 360 kg mustard/hour (madman)
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From page 73... ...
AND FOREIGN EXPERIENCE TABLE 3-~S U.N. Experience with Destruction of Nerve Agents in Iraq 73 Destruction Method Characteristic Site Data Site Agent Amount Form Al Muthanna GB and GB/GE mixture Estimated 70 tonnes BuLic agent, aerial bombs, and ballistic missile warheads Separation Munitions vacu~-drained through filling plugs or through holes created by drilling explosive-shaped charges when necessary Neutralization Batch hydrolysis with excess aqueous NaOH in recirculating reactor Effluents Aqueous NaF and sodium salts of phosphoric acids with about 35to excess NaOH Efficiency < 1 ppm Monitoring Continuous for temperature; continuous for reactor room ambient air for nerve agent; measurement of measurement of excess NaOH and analysis of each batch at end of reaction to verify agent level below detection limit of 1 ppm Disposal Spent reaction liquor discharged to impermeable lined pit (to be covered with concrete after evaporation)
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