ESTCP Cost and Performance Report (ER-200742) Open Burn/Open Detonation (OBOD) Area Management Using Lime for Explosives Transformation and Metals Immobilization
Abstract
Open burn (OB)/open detonation (OD) activities are necessary to destroy unserviceable, unstable, or unusable munitions and explosives. Munitions must be demilitarized or destroyed depending on their lifespan and other requirements. There are commercial demilitarization options available, but most of these cannot sustain the volume and sometimes the specific requirements for munitions destruction. Therefore, commercial demilitarization can be costly and inflexible. The Department of Defense (DoD) operates about a hundred OB/OD areas. These areas are usually located at fixed locations on installations. These locations may be limited to one type of operation (i.e., burning of propellants during training activities), or they may be used for multiple operations (i.e., to destroy many types of explosives, pyrotechnics, and propellants). Due to the relatively small area that OB/OD areas cover, there is a high probability of explosives contamination in the soil. Currently there is no in situ or remote alternative for management of soils on OB/OD areas. Addressing the problem of OB/OD areas acting as source zones for mobile contaminants using existing, ex situ remediation technologies will far exceed resources available for facility or range management and is currently not practiced. The objective of this demonstration was to evaluate and develop a management technology to control active OD area contaminant mobility and promote contaminant degradation that is low cost and minimally resource intensive. The demonstration identified and implemented lime amendment methods for explosives transformation and metals stabilization. The results from this study will improve OB/OD area design and operations and may result in sustainable management practices. The application of the proposed technology could supersede the need for intensive characterization and result in relatively short-term degradation of explosives (hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine [RDX], 1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2011
- Accession Number
- ADA557209
Entities
Organizations
- Environmental Security Technology Certification Program