Demilitarization of HC smoke ordnances

• US 10,456,816 B1
• Filed: 01/04/2018
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: William F. Drinkard
• Original Assignee: William F. Drinkard
• Inventors: Drinkard, William F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Edward M
• Application Number:
  US15/861,837
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 588300
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0215 Solid material in other stationary receptacles
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0288 Applications, solvents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 11/0292 Treatment of the solvent
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/00 Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste into something useful or harmless
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/80 involving an extraction step
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 5/00 Operations not covered by a single other subclass or by a single other group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: C01G 9/02 Oxides; Hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C07C 17/38 Separation; Purification; Stabilisation; Use of additives
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/06 Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs F42B33/004 and F42B33/04 take precedence; elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091

Abstract

An improved method for the demilitarization of HC smoke ordnance comprising hexachloroethane (HCE), zinc oxide, and granular aluminum in a metal container, the method comprising opening the container and extracting the HCE by contact with a suitable solvent which solubilizes and extracts the HCE from the remaining zinc oxide and aluminum, rendering the materials safe for further handling or disposal.

Claims

1. A method for demilitarization of HC smoke ordnance comprising hexachloroethane (HCE), zinc oxide, and granular aluminum in a metal container, said method comprising:

open or penetrate the container and extract the HCE by contact with a solvent which solubilizes and extracts the HCE from the zinc oxide and aluminum; and

wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of;

chloroform, benzene, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, and perchloroethylene.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the solvent has a boiling point significantly below that required to ignite HC smoke mix.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the solvent has a boiling point at least 30°

C. less than the temperature below that required to ignite HC smoke mix.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said HCE smoke ordnance contains an igniter, said method further comprising after extraction of HCE, the step of heating the metal container and the igniter to a temperature of at least 300 C to verify that they are safe material for recycling.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the container is principally iron or steel.

6. A method for demilitarization of HC smoke ordnance comprising hexachloroethane (HCE), zinc oxide, and granular aluminum in a metal container, said method comprising the steps of:

a) open or penetrate the container to expose its contents; and

b) contact the container and its exposed contents with a solvent and dissolve the hexachloroethane, and form a hexachloroethane solution, thereby demilitarizing said ordnance;

wherein the solvent is selected from the group consisting of;

chloroform, benzene, carbon disulfide, carbon tetrachloride, and perchloroethylene.

7. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

filtering the HCE solution from the ZnO and Al leaving ZnO/Al solids;

heating the solvent to its boiling point and vaporizing the solvent leaving high purity HCE in solid form.

8. A method according to claim 7, further comprising recovering and recycling the solvent.

9. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

washing the container and the ZnO/Al with solvent, followed by washing the container and the ZnO/Al with water to remove the solvent/HCE solution, resulting in deactivation of the HCE smoke ordnance.

10. A method according to claim 6, wherein said HCE smoke ordnance contains an igniter, said method further comprising exposing the chemical components of the igniter, then soaking the chemical components of the igniter in solvent, then in water to prevent accidental activation.

11. A method according to claim 6, further comprising:

separating the aluminum from the zinc oxide leaving an impure zinc oxide sludge, and recovering the aluminum as metal.

12. A method according to claim 6, wherein the container is principally iron or steel.

13. A method according to claim 6, wherein the solvent has a boiling point significantly below that required to ignite HC smoke mix.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the solvent has a boiling point at least 30°

C. less than the temperature below that required to ignite HC smoke mix.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein the solvent has a boiling point at least 60°

C. less than the temperature below that required to ignite HC smoke mix.