Photocatalytic Destruction of Nitrate Esters in Air
Abstract
Extruded double-base (EDB) propellant rocket motors are used to propel conventional munitions from a variety of tri-service platforms. Nitroglycerin (NG) emissions are generated during propellant annealing operations from the EDB rocket-motor manufacturing plant at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (IHD). Conventional technologies have been deemed unacceptable for controlling NG emissions due to the inherent hazards associated with the explosive-laden vapors. The objective of this Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) demonstration was to show that air-phase photocatalytic oxidation is a viable treatment technology for the destruction of NG air emissions. Photocatalytic oxidation is a low-temperature, destructive process that uses ultraviolet (UV) light and a titanium dioxide (TiO ) semiconductor photocatalyst to 2 generate highly reactive species for destruction of organic molecules. In the case of NG, the reaction products are H2O, CO2, and NOx. A full-scale (650-scfm) photocatalytic pollution control unit (PPCU) was designed and built by the University of Central Florida's Florida Solar Energy Center (FSEC) for demonstration under this ESTCP project. The PPCU consisted of two modules, each containing 32 low-pressure mercury lamps (LPMLs), connected in parallel. The PPCU was designed to remove 10 ppmv of NG in air at a destruction removal efficiency (DRE) of 99.5%. The PPCU was installed at the IHD's annealing oven and tested using a combination of simulated and actual production operations. The demonstration consisted of 200 hours of testing and three trials totaling 250 hours of operation between July and October 1998. Photocatalytic oxidation worked but the performance objectives were not met. At the design flow rat e of 650 scfm, the PPCU was unable to remove 10 ppmv NG from an air stream that also contained lesser amounts of inert plasticizers.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 01, 2000
- Accession Number
- ADA607441
Entities
People
- Ali T-raissi
- Eric W. Martin
- Nazim Muradov
- Ron Chernik
Organizations
- University of Central Florida