Destruction of high explosives and wastes containing high explosives using the Molten Salt Destruction Process.

摘要

The current method of disposal of large quantities of high explosives (HE), or other energetic materials, by open-pit burning, or detonation is becoming an environmentally unacceptable form of bulk destruction of these materials because of the products of incomplete combustion of HE. The Molten Salt Destruction (MSD) Process has been demonstrated for the destruction of HE and HE-containing wastes. MSD converts the organic constituents (including the HE) of the waste into non-hazardous substances such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen and water. In the case of HE-containing mixed wastes, any actinides in the waste are retained in the molten salt, thus converting the mixed wastes into low-level wastes. The destruction of HE is accomplished by introducing it, together with oxidant gases, into a crucible containing a molten salt, such as sodium carbonate, or a suitable mixture of the carbonates of sodium, potassium, lithium and calcium. The temperature of the molten salt can be between 400 to 900(degree)C. The combustible organic components of the waste react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide, nitrogen and steam. The inorganic components, in the form of ''ash,'' are captured in the molten salt bed as a result of wetting and dissolution of the ash. Halogenated hydrocarbons in the waste generate acid gases such as hydrogen chloride during the pyrolysis and combustion processes occurring in the melt. These are scrubbed by the alkaline carbonates, producing steam and the from the process are sent through standard off-gas clean-up processing before being, released to the atmosphere. At the end of the process runs, the salt is separated into carbonates, non-carbonate salts, and ash. The carbonates are recycled to the process, the stable salts are disposal of appropriately.