Explosive Destruction System's Drum Filter. Part 1. Experimental Validation

Abstract

Product Manager, Nonstockpile Chemical Materiel Program Office, has developed a system to destroy nonstockpile munitions containing chemical warfare agents. This Explosive Destruction System (EDS) includes a filter to prevent vapors being released to the environment during draining of decontaminated agent from the destruction chamber. An assessment was required to ensure adequate toxic chemical filtration performance. Single-component testing of the filter with the decontaminant monoethanolamine (MEA) demonstrated sufficient capacity for three operations of EDS before MEA would exit the inlet noncombustible silica portion of the adsorbent bed and pose a fire risk to the downstream carbon bed. Single component breakthrough testing with the agent simulant dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP) indicated that the EDS could be used for destroying over 700 nerve or mustard filled munitions before the filter capacity for those agents would be exceeded. Six EDS filters tested to breakthrough with MEA decontaminated HD indicated no penetration of MEA (or any breakdown products) over the 6 h duration of the tests, equivalent to at least 40 operations of the EDS system. However, to prevent the risk of fire, the filter should not be used beyond the three operations over which the MEA is retained in the silica layer of the adsorbent bed.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 2011
Accession Number
ADA545832

Entities

People

  • Edward Weller
  • John J. Mahle
  • Leonard C. Buettner
  • Robert W. Morrison

Organizations

  • Edgewood Chemical Biological Center

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Counter IED
  • Counter WMD
  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Adsorbents
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Chemical Warfare
  • Chemical Warfare Agents
  • Chemical Weapons
  • Chemistry
  • Detectors
  • Explosives
  • Filtration
  • Fires
  • Flow Rate
  • Materials
  • Munitions
  • Mustard Agents
  • Organic Materials
  • Test Equipment
  • Vapor Pressure

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Analytical Chemistry
  • Materials Science