Environmental Disposal Technology Innovations for Meeting Defense Force Transformation Needs

摘要

As the military faces the challenge of force transformation, the issues of waste cleanup and disposal take on increased importance and sophistication. Cost, effectiveness, mobility, flexibility, and reliability demands compete with regulatory and technical requirements. Innovations are needed to meet current and future requirements. Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO) is one such innovation that has the ability to destroy organic waste streams. SCWO is now a mature technology capable of handling many demanding missions including total destruction of a wide variety of organic wastes. These wastes include, but are not limited to, paints, fuels, antifreeze, hydraulic fluids, cleaning compounds, lubricants, gray and black water, plastics, energetics, and chemical agents. This technology was developed in the 1990s, but recently the capital and operational costs have been reduced to the point that SCWO is now a formidable tool for cost-effective waste cleanup and disposal. This paper summarizes how the technology works and how it is currently being applied within the Department of Defense (DOD). The paper also describes the equipment used and provides information about the system's effectiveness, the costs, and permitting. The paper concludes with suggestions for future applications.