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Patent 7445717 Click For Printable Version of This Patent
Patent Information:  USPTO Site Listing

Patent Number: 7445717
Case ID: 0
Patent Title: Process for treating waste from the production of energetics
Status: ACTIVE
Status Date: 10/12/2009 7:19:30 AM
Issue Date: 11/4/2008
Filed Date: 9/8/2005
Serial #: 1/229,441
Assignee Name: United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army (Washington, DC)
Inventor(s): Cha, Daniel K. , Oh, Seok-Young , Chiu, Pei C. , Kim, Byung J.
Lab Information:  View Lab Profile

Lab Name: ERDC Construction Engineering Research Laboratory
Location: CEERD-PA-I
Champaign, IL 61826-9005
Contact: Contact Lab About This Patent
   
Description:
RELATED INVENTIONS

Under 35 U.S.C .sctn. 121, this application claims the benefit of prior U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/097,089, A Process and System for Treating Waste from the Production of Energetics, by Cha et al., filed Mar. 14, 2002, now abandoned, incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Carbon sorption is the conventional method for treating munitions manufacturing waste containing explosive compounds such as 2,4,6 trinitrotoluene (TNT), trimethylenetrinitronitramine (RDX), and tetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX). The liquid form of this waste is termed "pinkwater." Typically using granulated activated carbon (GAC) filters, the waste is passed through the GAC with the explosive constituents removed by sorbing onto the carbon. This method is non-destructive, i.e., the sorbed molecules of contaminant remain intact chemically. Thus, the process generates spent contaminant-laden GAC filters that require further treatment, to include regenera . . . . More
Abstract:
A waste stream is treated in a pre-filter having media, preferably sand, connected below a zero-valent metal column reactor incorporating a metal with reducing potential, preferably elemental iron (Fe.sup.0); the combination preferably configured as a single unit. The waste stream is pumped through the pre-filter to trap solids and deoxygenate it, then enters the reactor and is subjected to a reducing process. Most of the Fe.sup.0 is transformed to the ferrous ion (Fe.sup.+2), mixed with the reduced product, and fed to a continuous stirred tank reactor (CSTR) in which Fenton oxidation occurs. The output is then sent to a sedimentation tank and pH-neutralized using a strong base such as sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The aqueous portion is drawn off and the sludge pumped from the sedimentation tank. The system is monitored and controlled to optimize required additives, while monitoring of pressure drop across the pre-filter and  . . . . More
Claims:
We claim:

1. A method for converting a waste stream resultant from manufacturing explosives, said waste stream containing at least some suspended and colloidal solids, to environmentally benign products, said method comprising: providing at least one zero valent metal column reactor comprising a pre-filter in a lower portion of said column reactor and a reducing portion in an upper portion of said column reactor, said reducing portion contiguous with said pre-filter; physically filtering out at least some of said solids in said pre-filter; establishing a reducing environment in said reducing portion for removing oxygen using at least one zero-valent metal as a reducing agent, wherein at least some of said zero-valent metal is provided as a metal ion, and wherein the output of said physical filtering and reducing environment is a first treated waste stream; subjecting said first treated waste stream to a Fenton oxidation reaction in at least one first vessel; monitoring and . . . . More