Technical and Economic Analyses to Assess the Feasibility of Using Propellant - No. 2 Fuel Oil Slurries as Supplemental Fuels
Abstract
There is currently a large inventory of obsolete conventional munitions and waste propellants. Current alternatives to storage are open burning/open detonation (OB/OD) and incineration to reduce the inventory of these materials. Since environmental impact of OB/OD is under intense scrutiny, the US Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency is conducting a program to determine the feasibility of using propellants as supplemental fuels for the Army's industrial combustors. The first propellant studied was a nitrocellulose containing 13.15% nitrogen by weight. Laboratory tests were conducted to evaluate the physical and chemical characteristics, as well as the chemical compatibility, of nitrocellulose-solvent-No. 2 fuel oil solutions. Unfortunately, the tests using nitrocellulose indicated that solvation and mixing with No.2 fuel oil is questionable from a cost standpoint due to the low solubility of this material; an economic analysis did indicate potential cost effectiveness using propellant-No. 2 fuel oil slurries as supplemental fuels. A second project assessed the technical, economic, and safety aspects of using propellant-No. 2 fuel oil slurries as supplemental fuels. Materials studies were nitrocellulose, nitroguanidine, and AA2 double-base propellant. Similar laboratory tests were again conducted. This report discusses results from these tests as well as from an economic analysis of the process.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1991
- Accession Number
- ADA241558
Entities
People
- D. J. Craft
- K. E. Mcgill
- V. M. Norwood
Organizations
- Tennessee Valley Authority