DESIGN FOR DEMILITARISATION Presented by Dr David M Stalker BSc, PhD, C Chem, MRSC BAE SYSTEMS RO...

DESIGN FOR DEMILITARISATION

Presented by

Dr David M Stalker BSc, PhD, C Chem, MRSC

BAE SYSTEMS

RO DEFENCE

AVT - 115 Warsaw 9/10 October 2003 Demilitarisation of Munitions"

INTRODUCTIONDuring 1999 and 2000 a consortium of Royal Ordnance plc,United Kingdom (RO) and DEMEX Consulting Engineers A/S,

Denmark (DEMEX), undertook a research contract WEAO EUCLID Reference Number 98/EF 14.6/004 on behalf of the

Western European Armaments Organisation (WEAO) Research Cell, CEPA-14. This joint study entitled

“A Study into the Demilitarisation of Advanced Conventional Munitions” resulted in six separate reports:

•Review of Demilitarisation State of the Art

Life Cycle Analysis

Demilitarisation Technologies

Biodegradation

Environmental Impact & Cost Benefit Analysis

Procurement Specification

In this presentation one of the principal conclusions relates to “DESIGN FOR DEMILITARISATION”.


Definition of Demilitarisation

Demilitarisation is the Process whereby the Military Characteristics of Munitions are removed:

•Unsuited for continued storage•Obsolete•Excess to Service requirements

“…the act of removing or otherwise neutralising the military potential of a munition. Such neutralisation is to be carried out in a safe, cost effective, practical and environmentallyresponsible manner. Demilitarisation is a necessary step for military items prior to their release to a non-military setting.”

Definition of Demilitarisation from STANAG 4518


The need for Demilitarisation

As Munitions become older there are a number of issues that face the custodians:

Increasing Hazards due to:

Corrosion

Loss of ID

Chemical Instability

Electonic Component Deterioration

•Surplus Stocks•Obsolence•Storage •No Longer Required•Deterioration•Possible Sale•Use for Training Purposes•Conversion

}

Security/Safety Risks due to:TheftAttractiveness to TerroristsNeed for Continued StorageAccidents


The need for DemilitarisationR

isks

/ Cos

ts

Retention

Increasing Hazards due to:

Corrosion

Loss of ID

Chemical Instability

Electronic Component Deterioration

Increasing Security/Safety Risks due to:TheftAttractiveness to TerroristsNeed for Continued StorageAccidents

Progressive reductionof stocks through disposal

Today TimeYears

100% Demil

The choice is to assume greater risks and costs with continued storage or

proceed with destruction


Examples of Demilitarisation Problem Areas

Fungicide Impregnated Pallets eg Pentachlorophenols

Case Bonding of Energetic Fillings

Toxic Metal Salts in Propellants eg Lead

Filling Ports which are too small to use for Emptying Out

Electronics encased in Epoxy Resin with addedDU Salt

Self destruct mechanisms

Anti-tamper devices and mechanisms

Adhesives

Asbestos and Asbestos Impregnated Resins

No formulated Dis-assembly or Demilitarisation methods

Water or air sensitive species Pyrophoric Metals

Radioactive Kinetic Energy Projectiles

Radioactive Sighting DevicesChlorinated Plastic Components

Mixed Plastic Components

Corrosive Materials

Caustic Materials

Oxidising Materials

Hypergolic MaterialsInterference Fit of Components

Pyrotechnics - heavy metal species

Potentially Incompatible Materials

Volatile Materials

Toxic Materials

Stability of Aged Explosives

Leaching or Weeping of Energetics


Demilitarisation Options

Munition Assembly

Controlled Incineration or Detonation

Open Burn Open Detonation


Sale

Use for Training, Targetry etc



Munition Assembly



Sale


Removal from packaging

Disposal of Packaging

Re-use of Packaging

Strip and Separate packaging Components eg Wood/Plastics/Metal etc



Munition Assembly



Re-use of Packaging



DisassemblyRe-use of Hardware

Upgrade Hardware

Destroy/Mutilate Hardware

Separate Components

Scrap



Sale




Munition Assembly

Disassembly

Removal of Energetics



Re-use of Packaging

Recovery of Energetics

Conversion to anotherEnergetics Application

Conversion to alternate non-energetic use

Fertiliser

Chemical Feedstock



Energetics Re-use

Eg Mining Open Burn

Open Detonation


Disposal of Non-Energetics eg Fillers, Binders etc

Re-use of Hardware

Upgrade Hardware


Separate Components

Scrap


Sale


Separation of Chemical components


Demilitarisation Areas for The Future

Munition Assembly

Disassembly

Removal of Energetics



Re-use of Packaging

Recovery of Energetics

Conversion to anotherEnergetics Application

Conversion to alternate non-energetic use

Fertiliser

Chemical Feedstock



Energetics Re-use

Eg MiningOpen Burn

Open Detonation


Disposal of Non-Energetics eg Fillers, Binders etc

Re-use of Hardware

Upgrade Hardware


Separate Components

Scrap


Sale


Separation of Chemical components


The overall drive is towards source reduction, re-use and recycling - basicallyWaste Minimisation and Pollution Prevention throughout the life of the storeleading to the concepts of:

The Changing Emphasis of Demilitarisation

Cost Effective

Safe

Practical

ealth Hazards

Environmentally Acceptable

Physically Safe

Maximisation of Recovery and Reuse

Free from H

Cost Effective

Efficient

Increasingly Demilitarisation contracts are stipulating•No Open Burning (OB)•No Open Detonation (OD)•Encouragement to Recycle or Convert into other products•Maximum levels of Recycle

R3 Resource Recovery and Re-use

R4 Resource Recovery Re-use and Recycle


Examples of Existing Technologies

1. Disassembly and Opening Up•Mechanical Disassembly and Reverse Engineering•Mechanical Saw•Mechanical Separation - eg abrasive water jet cutting•Cryofracture

Review of Demilitarisation Technologies and Techniques

In the CEPA 14.6 Project a survey of Demilitarisation Technologies and Techniques was made

Usually leading to destruction of the hardware and scrapping with no re-use.


3. Disposal of Energetics•OB/OD•Contained Detonation Chamber •Propellant and HE Conversion to Fertilizer & Mining Explosives•Incineration

Less easy to deal with energetics– Usually destroyed– Increasing conversion to mining Explosives– No processes for Recovery and Recycle of PBXs in use yet– No easy means of removal from hardware– Still contain hazardous and toxic species

2. Removal of Energetics and Fillings•Meltout•Steamout •Dry Machining •High Pressure Water Washout •Hot Water Washout•Water Washout of Class Rkt Motors



Planned and Emerging Demilitarisation Technologies

Confined Burn Pyrotechnic Reclaim/ReuseHot Gas Decontamination Reuse of Gun Propellant Biodegradation HMX Recovery Contained Detonation Chamber RDX Recovery Contained Burn with Scrubber Propellant Conversion to FertilizerTunnel Burn Liquid Ammonia Reclamation of Tactical Rocket Motors & IMTunnel Detonation Induction Heating Molten Salt Oxidation Microwave Meltout of HE Loaded Munitions Cryocycling of Energetic Materials Base Hydrolysis Water Washout of Rkt Motors Hydrothermal Oxidation Laser Cutting Plasma Arc System (PODS)Supercritical Water Oxidation Explosive Rework Process for Cast Loaded MunitionsAbrasive Waterjet Cutting Explosive D Conversion to Picric AcidRobotic Disassembly Electrochemical Techniques (eg Silver II))Biochemical Techniques


The thrust of most of these applications is towards •more efficient removal and destruction or conversion•recovery of materials (hardware and chemical components)•re-use and recovery


Design for DemilitarisationIn the CEPA 14.6 Project a survey of Munitions’ development was madeencompassing:

•Projectiles and Warheads

• Ammunition of all calibres• Fuzing and Firing Devices• Guns and Artillery Systems• Mines and Demolition Systems• Armour and Anti-Armour• Rocket Motors

•Energetics

• High Explosives• Gun Propellants and Charges• Rocket Propellants• Pyrotechnics


Design for Demilitarisation

Environmental Pressures will only increase:•need to understand nature of all chemical species in munition from outset•need to understand chemistry of all species involved

•conversion to other species•breakdown of binders•build in breakdown mechanisms at start

•eg hydrolysable binders•means of removal of chemical mixtures/admixtures from hardware

Little effort is made towards "Design for Demilitarisation” in forthcoming Munitions Designs

• Ease of energetics removal is paramount•fortuitous designs faciliatate removal

•for example Steel Strip Laminate Rocket Bodies


Insensitive Munitions and R3Executive Order 13101 -- Greening the Government through Waste Prevention, Recycling,…Consider:

• elimination of virgin material requirements• reuse of product

•A recent advance is in reclamation and re-use of TNT from 8” HE projectiles in new production of AF bombs in US

• effect of reducing demil cost per round• necessary to decrease the moisture content in the reclaimed TNT• new NSN for reclaimed TNT has been established: 1376- 01- 479- 1067

• life- cycle cost• recyclability• disposal

USD( AT& L) , December 2000:

• view demil stockpile as asset, not liability• maximise resource recovery and reuse• recycle energetics & reformulate in less- sensitive fills• apply to munitions acquisition process

Extracts from US Executive Orders on Demilitarisation and on Insensitive Munitions




Designers and Procurers should be encouraged to:– Design in components that can be recovered – Recycle and Re-use recovered components– look at means of reusing energetics

– re-visit specifications

Demilitarisation provides a valuable resource for raw materials and resources

MIDAS provides a means of Characterisation of Munitions and enables and allows for the determination of all the chemical constituents at the outset. There is a need to develop a MIDAS type database in Europe - a model database(EICAD) has been developed as part of the CEPA 14 Project and efforts are now needed to populate the model and demonstrate its usefulness. Thismodel also encompasses whole life costing and not only the Demilitarisation stages.


Munitions’ Characterisation & Creation of Munitions Database Library

Munition/Store

Existing Environmental, Safety and Health Regulations and Impact

Health Effects and Impact•COSHH•Carcinogen•Neurotoxin•Acute•Teratogen•etc

Environmental Impact Effects•Water Release •Air Release•Ground Release

Safety/Health & Environmental Effects

•Define materials into categories•Toxic•Flammable•Corrosive•Oxidiser•etc

Bulk Items Materials ie Packagingand

Component Parts

Inert Materialsand Compounds

PEP Materialsand

PEP Ingredients(Energetic and Non-Energetic)

Manufacture•Processes

•e.g. Plating, Alloys, •Materials used•Resources used•Resources Consumed

Define natures of all materials present and used: refer to

• CAS No and Synonyms Dictionaries•Hazard Data Sheets•Manufacturers’ Information•etc

Inventory

Quantities/Amounts Present or Consumed

Munitions Database Library

Demilitarisation Process Design Process

Identify Components/Parts including all Packaging and Specific Transportation Equipment

DrawingsDiagramsSpecificationsStandards


Conclusions1. Design for Demil

Ease of disassembly and removal of energetics Design in safe and easy access for disassembly Design in safe means and effective means of material extraction

• Consider and apply latest/best applicable technologies

Maximise recovery of Materials Energetics Packaging Hardware Non-energetics

Maximise potential for reuse of components and materialsConfigure in ease of component and packaging reuse or recycling

2. Create Inventories of Substances and Components including packaging

Minimise environmental impactSelect materials that minimise hazards to personnel and the environment at the end of the munition’s life

•Build in “demil switches” – eg hydrolysable binders

Aspects highlighted in yellow incorporated in STANAG 4518 and OB Proc P115(2)


3. Design for Mid Life Improvement Potential Design for Life Extension Design for reuse or conversion of the munition through limited modification or remanufacture

4. Design in life extension through conversion to training use Maximise Service LifeDesign for Life Extension Select materials and design features that enable stocks to be used in training

5. Configure packaging to maximise recycle, re-useConfigure in ease of packaging reuse or recycling

6. Minimise environmental impact from packaging

8. Provide detailed procedures and information on munition’s demilitarisation

Conclusions

Aspects highlighted in yellow incorporated in STANAG 4518 and OB Proc P115(2)

7. Incorporate components identified from demil inventory available for re-use

DESIGN FOR DEMILITARISATION Presented by Dr David M Stalker BSc, PhD, C Chem, MRSC BAE SYSTEMS RO...

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