System and method for treatment of hazardous materials, e.g., unexploded chemical warfare ordinance

• Main Authors: JOHNSON RICHARD A, QUIMBY JAY M, EDWARDS ALAN T, WILLMERT MCREA B, DONOVAN JOHN L
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 20.04.2010
• Subjects: AMMUNITION; BLASTING; BURNERS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS; CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING ORPROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION; CONTROLLING; CREMATION FURNACES; ENGINE PLANTS IN GENERAL; EXPLOSIVE CHARGES, e.g. FOR BLASTING, FIREWORKS, AMMUNITION; FIRE-FIGHTING; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR INTERNALCOMBUSTION ENGINES; GAS-FLOW SILENCERS OR EXHAUST APPARATUS FOR MACHINES ORENGINES IN GENERAL; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LIFE-SAVING; LIGHTING; MACHINES OR ENGINES IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; PHYSICS; REGULATING; SEPARATION; STEAM ENGINES; SYSTEMS FOR CONTROLLING OR REGULATING NON-ELECTRIC VARIABLES; TRANSPORTING; WEAPONS

Systems and methods for treating hazardous materials are disclosed. One exemplary implementation provides a system for rendering chemical weapons materiel less hazardous. This system includes a detonation chamber, an expansion chamber, and an emission treater adapted to treat gas from detonation of the chemical weapons materiel. The emission treater yields a substantially dry residual waste stream and a treated gas suitable for venting to atmosphere. The emission treater may treat the gas with an alkaline powder that interacts with the gas, producing the residual waste stream.