Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment – Containment – Solidification – vitrification – or cementation
Patent
1994-08-25
1996-01-02
Mai, Ngoclan
Hazardous or toxic waste destruction or containment
Containment
Solidification, vitrification, or cementation
110344, 110345, C06B 2100
Patent
active
054810620
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a method of destroying explosive substances, and more specifically to a method of destroying explosive substances by combustion in a combustion apparatus.
Large quantities of supernumerary, out-of-date and functionally deficient or otherwise unusable ammunition are destroyed each year. The quantities concerned are significant and constitute several hundreds to several thousands of tonnes per year and nation. Earlier, ammunition was dumped in lakes or oceans, or exploded or burned in the open air on firing ranges or the like. It is no longer permitted to dump ammunition in lakes or oceans. Destroying by explosive processes on a large scale requires extensive safety distances, among other things because of the noise that is generated thereby, therewith placing a geographic limitation on the use of this method. Similar to explosive processes, the burning of explosive substances in the open air releases reaction products which are environmentally harmful, for instance such products as carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides.
Attempts have earlier been made to incinerate explosive substances in a solid form (lumps) in furnaces, such as cement kilns, which although enabling the flue gases to be cleaned also incurs the risk of explosion due to agglomeration of explosive substances. Furthermore, when the explosive substances are charged to the furnace in a solid state, it is difficult to control the flow of explosive substances in a manner which will enable the flue gases to be cleaned effectively. The handling of solid explosive substances, in powder or lump form, is also combined with the risk of explosion.
An object of the present invention is to destroy explosive substances by incineration in a combustion apparatus in a safe manner.
Another object of the invention is to destroy explosive substances by incineration in a manner which will enable the combustion gases to be cleaned effectively.
Yet another object of the invention is to destroy explosive substances by incineration in a manner which will enable the energy content of the explosive substances to be utilized.
These objects are achieved with an inventive method defined in the Claims.
The inventive method comprises dissolving or suspending the explosive substance in a combustible liquid which has no available oxygen or only a small amount of available oxygen, wherein the proportion of liquid used is so large as to reduce the energy content of the mixture to 1 MJ/kg or less in the absence of available atmospheric oxygen; and burning the mixture in a combustion apparatus by delivering the mixture to said combustion apparatus via a liquid fuel burner or a burner for solid fuel/liquid fuel suspensions. The mixture is delivered through the burner to a combustion chamber in the combustion apparatus in a finely-divided state and is combusted while generating a controlled flame. The mixture can thus be used as a fuel for this type of burner and the explosive substance is incinerated as an integral part of the fuel.
This method of incinerating the explosive substance in a fluid form, through the agency of liquid or suspension burners enables the flow of explosive substances in the combustion zone to be monitored and controlled in an effective manner, which is essential both from the aspect of safety and from an environmental aspect. The combustion process can be controlled with regard to the generation of harmful combustion products and can be guided, for instance, with regard to a subsequent cleaning of the flue gases with a catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides. One known method of chemically reducing nitrogen oxides in industrial flue gases involves, for instance, adding a reducing agent (ammonia) to the flue gases and bringing the mixture into contact with a catalyst bed. The flows of material in the combustion process must be effectively controlled in order for such a method to function efficiently, a requirement which is satisfied by the present invention.
When combusted with air, the explosive substances have combustion energi
REFERENCES:
patent: 3916805 (1975-11-01), Kalfadelis et al.
patent: 4231822 (1980-11-01), Roth
patent: 4425170 (1984-01-01), Jones
patent: 5211777 (1993-05-01), Nahlovsky et al.
Forsvarets Forskningsanstalt
Mai Ngoclan
LandOfFree
Method of destroying explosive substances does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Method of destroying explosive substances, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Method of destroying explosive substances will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-236783