Pilot-Scale Testing of a Fuel Oil-Explosives Cofiring Process for Recovering Energy from Waste Explosives
Abstract
The U.S. Army generates and stores a significant quantity of explosives and explosive-related materials that do not meet specifications for their primary use. Current explosives disposal processes do not recover any resources from these materials. The heat of combustion of these materials is typically 9 to 15 kJ/g which is 21 to 33% of the high heating value of No. 2 fuel oil. One secondary use for explosives is to cofire them with other fuels to recover their energy content. Bench-Scale testing has shown that cofiring is feasible and safe within certain guidelines. To further evaluate cofiring, a proof-of-principle test was conducted in a 300-kW combustion chamber. The test program was discontinued before completion because of failures largely unrelated to the explosives contained in the fuel. This report presents the results of the proof of principle tests, as well as design and operational changes that would eliminate problems encountered during the course of the test program. It is clearly feasible to cofire explosives and fuel oil. However, more data are needed before the process can be tested in a production boiler, furnace, or incinerator.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1988
- Accession Number
- ADA243982
Entities
People
- W. M. Bradshaw
Organizations
- Oak Ridge National Laboratory