Using supercritical water oxidation to treat hydrolysate from VX neutralization / Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Army Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program, Board on Army Science and Technology, Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems, National Research Council.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

National Research Council (U.S.). Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Army Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program.

Series:

Compass series (Washington, D.C.)

The compass series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Chemical weapons disposal.

Chemical weapons disposal--United States.

Chemical agents (Munitions).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (82 p.)

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Washington, D.C. : National Academy Press, 1998.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

The U.S. Army has asked the National Research Council (NRC) to evaluate whether supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is an effective and appropriate means of eliminating hazardous or toxic organic constituents in VX hydrolysate for ultimate disposition. The NRC was not asked to conduct an in-depth analysis of the entire integrated VX bulk agent destruction and disposal process for the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. As the facility design is being finalized (March 1999-April 2000), the NRC will probably be asked to assess all aspects of the facility design, including monitoring, containment, process control, and redundancy, as well as the quantitative risk assessment (QRA). This report outlines the elements of the proposed neutralization/SCWO technology, evaluates the results of ongoing SCWO tests, and makes recommendations concerning aspects of the technology that require further development. The scope of this evaluation did not include evaluations of other potential technologies or management options for the treatment of VX hydrolysate.

Contents:

Using Supercritical Water Oxidation to Treat Hydrolysate from VX Neutralization

Copyright

Preface

Contents

Acronyms

Executive Summary

BACKGROUND

FINDINGS

RECOMMENDATIONS

1 Introduction and Background

SELECTION OF NEUTRALIZATION FOLLOWED BY SUPERCRITICAL WATER OXIDATION FOR STOCKPILE DISPOSAL AT NEWPORT, INDIANA

VX STORAGE AT NEWPORT, INDIANA

NEUTRALIZATION OF VX

2 Process Description and Scientific Principles

PROCESS OVERVIEW

SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES

KINETICS

PHASE BEHAVIOR

3 Technology Status

PREVIOUS APPLICATIONS OF SUPERCRITICAL WATER OXIDATION TECHNOLOGY

DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM FOR APPLICATION TO VX HYDROLYSATE

Laboratory-Scale Tests to Establish Methylphosphonic Acid DREs

Pilot-Scale Testing with Surrogates and VX Hydrolysate

Toxicity of the Liquid Effluent

Summary of Solids Management and System Performance

STATUS OF EVAPORATOR TECHNOLOGY

4 Scale-Up, Stability, and Reliability

PROCESS SCALE-UP

SALT MANAGEMENT AND REACTOR DESIGN

Higher Pressure Systems

Dissolution in Molten Sodium Hydroxide

Catalyzed Oxidation

Transpiring Wall Reactor

Engineering Control

Conclusion

CHOICE OF OXIDANT, MIXING, AND HEAT BALANCE

CORROSION AND THE MATERIALS OF CONSTRUCTION

PRESSURE LET-DOWN SYSTEMS

SUMMARY

5 Full-Scale Process Design

PROCESS DESCRIPTION

PROCESS START-UP AND SHUTDOWN

PROCESS MASS AND ENERGY BALANCES

PROCESS MONITORING AND CONTROL

MANAGING UPSETS AND MAINTENANCE

PROCESS SAFETY

PROCESS EFFLUENT REQUIREMENTS

TECHNOLOGY IMPLEMENTATION TIMELINE

ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT REQUIREMENTS

6 Findings and Recommendations

References

Appendices

Appendix A Process Flow Diagrams for the Supercritical Water Oxidation and Evaporation Process Steps.

Appendix B Mass Balance for the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (NECDF) Process.

Notes:

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Includes bibliographical references (p. 55-58).

ISBN:

9786610186792

9780309173995

030917399X

9781280186790

1280186798

9780309562553

0309562554

OCLC:

320320524