Claims
- 1. A method for the removal of chemical agents from chemical munitions comprising:
- (a) supplying fluid from a fluid supply means;
- (b) pressurizing the fluid to high pressures using a pressurizing means which pressurizes the fluid from about 1,500 psi to about 45,000 psi;
- (c) projecting the fluid onto the chemical agent contained in a chemical munition using a directing means inserted or withdrawn at a rate of more than 0 to about 200 inches/minute whereby the chemical agent is removed from the interior of the body of the chemical munition;
- the directing means having a hollow lance, a nozzle and a plurality of orifices through which the fluid is projected, each of the plurality of orifices having a diameter in the range of about 0.001" to about 0.250".
- 2. The method of claim 1 wherein the fluid comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, glycols, esters, water and mixtures thereof, aqueous and non-aqueous solutions of neutralizing agents for the neutralization of chemical agents.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein the fluid is water, an alcohol, an aqueous or alcoholic solution of an alkali metal hydroxide or hypochlorite, or mixtures thereof.
- 4. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional step of inserting the directing means into the body of the chemical munition along a rotational axis of symmetry of the body, and
- rotating either the directing means or the body about the rotational axis of symmetry along which the directing means is inserted.
- 5. The method of claim 4 wherein either the body or the directing means is rotated at a rate of about 50 to about 10,000 rpm.
- 6. The method of claim 2 comprising the additional step of chilling the fluid by use of a chilling means to at least below the heat of reaction of the neutralizing agent and chemical agent contained in the body.
- 7. The method of claim 1 comprising the additional steps of collecting and channeling away washed out chemical agent and used washout fluid using a fluid collection means having an enclosure to contain and collect used washout fluid and removed chemical agent, an inlet to allow used washout fluid and removed chemical agent to enter the enclosure, and an outlet to allow used washout fluid and removed chemical agent to be channeled away from the washout area.
- 8. The method of claim 7 comprising the additional step of reducing the size of particles of removed chemical agent using a particle reduction screen located at the interior of the fluid collection means;
- the stream of fluid passing through an orifice causing removed chemical agent to impact the particle reduction screen such that removed chemical agent particles smaller than the openings in the screen pass through the screen, and removed chemical agent particles larger than the openings in the screen are reduced in size until the particles are small enough to pass though the screen or are emulsified.
- 9. A method for the removal of chemical agent from chemical agent filled bodies comprising:
- (a) supplying fluid from a fluid supply means;
- (b) pressurizing the fluid to high pressures using a pressurizing means which pressurizes the fluid from about 1,500 psi to about 45,000 psi;
- (c) chilling the fluid by use of a chilling means to a temperature at least below the melting point of the chemical agent to be removed;
- (d) inserting a directing means into the chemical agent filled body along a rotational axis of symmetry of the body;
- (e) rotating either the directing means or the body about the rotational axis of symmetry of the body along which the directing means was inserted; and
- (f) projecting the fluid onto the chemical agent contained in the chemical agent filled body using the directing means whereby the chemical agent is removed from the interior of the body;
- the directing means having a plurality of orifices through which the fluid is projected, each of the plurality of orifices having a diameter in the range of about 0.001" to about 0.250".
- 10. The method of claim 7 wherein the fluid comprising at least one selected from the group consisting of: aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, ketones, alcohols, glycols, esters, water and mixtures thereof, aqueous and non-aqueous solutions of neutralizing agents for the neutralization of chemical agents.
- 11. The method of claim 10 wherein the fluid is water, an alcohol, an aqueous or alcoholic solution of an alkali metal hydroxide or hypochlorite, or mixtures thereof.
- 12. The method of claim 9 wherein the directing means is inserted or withdrawn from the chemical agent filled body at a rate of more than 0 to 200 inches/minute.
- 13. The method of claim 9 wherein the rotating of either the chemical agent filled body or the directing means is at a rate of about 50 to about 10,000 rpm.
- 14. The method of claim 9 further comprising the additional steps of collecting and channeling away removed chemical agent and used washout fluid using a fluid collection means having an enclosure to contain and collect used washout fluid and removed chemical agent, an inlet to allow used washout fluid and removed chemical agent to enter the enclosure, and an outlet to allow used washout fluid and removed chemical agent to be channeled away from the washout area.
- 15. The method of claim 9 comprising the additional step of reducing the size of removed chemical agent particles using a particle reduction screen located at the interior of the fluid collection means;
- the stream of fluid passing through an orifice causing removed chemical agent to impact the particle reduction screen such that removed chemical agent particles smaller than the openings in the screen pass through the screen, and particles larger than the openings in the screen are reduced in size until the particles are small enough to pass though the screen or are emulsified.
- 16. A method for the removal of chemical agent from chemical agent filled bodies comprising:
- (a) supplying fluid from a fluid supply means;
- (b) pressurizing the fluid to high pressures using a pressurizing means which pressurizes the fluid from about 1,500 psi to about 45,000 psi;
- (c) chilling the fluid by use of a chilling means to a temperature below the heat of reaction of a neutralizing agent and the chemical agent to be removed;
- (d) inserting a directing means into the chemical agent filled body along a rotational axis of symmetry of the body;
- (e) rotating either the directing means or the body about the rotational axis of symmetry of the body along which the directing means is inserted, the directing means comprised of a hollow lance, nozzle and a plurality of orifices,
- the nozzle being attached to one end of the hollow lance such that fluid passing through the interior of the hollow lance may pass into the interior of the nozzle,
- the nozzle having an end face and sides into which the orifices are fixed, such that the fluid at the interior of the nozzle may pass through the orifices to the exterior of the nozzle, each of the plurality of orifices having a diameter from about 0.001" to about 0.250";
- (f) projecting the fluid onto the chemical agent contained in the chemical agent filled body using the directing means whereby the chemical agent is removed from the interior of the body,
- (g) collecting and channeling away removed chemical agent and fluid using a fluid collection means having an enclosure to contain and collect used washout fluid and removed chemical agent, an inlet to allow used washout fluid and removed chemical agent to enter the enclosure, and an outlet to allow used washout fluid and removed chemical agent to be channeled away from the washout area; and
- (h) reducing the size of particles of removed chemical agent using a particle reduction screen located at the interior of the fluid collection means;
- the stream of fluid passing through one or more of the plurality of orifices causing removed chemical agent to impact the particle reduction screen such that particles smaller than the openings in the screen pass through the screen, and removed particles larger than the openings in the screen are reduced in size until the particles are small enough to pass though the screen or are emulsified.
- 17. The method of claim 16 wherein the fluid comprises: alcohols, water and mixtures thereof, or aqueous and alcoholic solutions of neutralizing agents for the neutralization of chemical agents.
- 18. The method of claim 17 wherein the fluid is methanol, ethanol, butanol, water, an alkali metal hydroxide or hypochlorite solution thereof, or mixtures thereof.
- 19. The method of claim 16 wherein the directing means is inserted or withdrawn from the chemical agent filled body at a rate of more than 0 to about 200 inches/minute.
- 20. The method of claim 16 wherein the rotating of either the chemical agent filled body or the directing means is at a rate of about 50 to about 10,000 rpm.
Parent Case Info
This is a continuation of application Ser No. 08/365,860, filed Dec. 29, 1994, now abandoned.
US Referenced Citations (8)
Foreign Referenced Citations (4)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2 630 667 |
Nov 1989 |
FRX |
4010757C1 |
Apr 1990 |
DEX |
40 10 757 |
Aug 1991 |
DEX |
PCTUS9002734 |
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WOX |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (1)
Entry |
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Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
365860 |
Dec 1994 |
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