Fluidised-bed incineration of explosives-contaminated waste
Publish date: 2001-01-01
Report number: FOI-R--0229--SE
Pages: 16
Written in: Swedish
Abstract
Due to the armed forces´ excess of ammunition today, large amounts of ammunition are sent to disposal. Valuable components, e.g. metals and explosives, are recycled for civil applications. The recycle processes are not closed processes; however, and generates industrial waste just like any conventional industrial process. The difference is that this waste often is contaminated with explosives. Therefor it cannot be sent to a conventional waste incineration plant, but has to be disposed off on site. Today, this is achieved by open burning, hence resulting in uncontrolled emissions of air pollutants. In this report methods to dispose of explosives-contaminated waste is demonstrated. By first wet-grinding the waste, mixing it with water and adding stabilisers, a non-detonable, non-settling, pumpable slurry can be formed. The slurry can then be pumped into a fluidised bed, where it burns. This enables cleaning of the exhaust gases and prevents emissions of hazardous pollutants. A cost analysis has been made. It shows that a plant for the destruction of 25 kg waste per hour would cost 19-24 Mkr to install.