POLLUTION PREVENTION

Abstract

The program element (PE) develops pollution prevention technologies required to reduce/eliminate the environmental footprint resulting from the manufacture, maintenance, use and surveillance of Army ordnance and other weapon systems. This project researches and develops revolutionary technologies to eliminate or significantly reduce the environmental impacts that threaten the sustainment of production and maintenance facilities, training ranges and operational areas. The project supports the transformation of the Army by ensuring that advanced energetic materials required for high-performance munitions (gun, rocket, missile propulsion systems, and warhead explosives) are devised to meet weapons lethality/survivability stretch goals in parallel with, and in compliance to, foreseeable sustainment requirements. Specific technology thrusts include environmentally-benign explosives developed with computer modeling using Department of Defense high-performance computing resources; novel energetics that capitalize on the unique behavior of nano-scale structures; chemically engineered explosive and propellant formulations produced with minimal environmental waste, long-storage lifetime, rapid/benign environmental degradation properties, and efficient extraction and reuse; and fuses, pyrotechnics, and initiators that are free from toxic chemicals. Other focus areas include base camp energy reduction initiatives, elimination of waste streams in contingency operations and toxic metal reductions from surface finishing processes. The cited work is consistent with the Director, Defense Research and Engineering Strategic Plan, the Army Modernization Strategy, the Army Science and Technology Master Plan, and supports the Army Strategy for the Environment. Technologies developed in this project are fully coordinated and complementary to PE 0603728A, Project 025. Work in this project is performed by the Research, Development, and Engineering Command's, the Army Research Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, the Armaments Research, Development, and Engineering Center, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ, and the Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center, Huntsville, AL.

Document Details

• Document Type: Project
• Publication Date: Oct 01, 2012
• Source ID: 895_0602720A_2_2040_PB_2012

Tags

Readers

• Environmental Engineering.
• Military Science and Technology Research and Modernization.