Incineration is a proven method of oxidizing organic materials. Most incinerators operate at high temperatures to increase the rate of the oxidation process. Treatment of offgases from incinerators is necessary for pollution abatement.
GA has been active in the design, development, installation, and operation of incinerators for more than 25 years. GA developed the circulating-bed incinerator for waste destruction in the mid 1980s, has designed a large rotary kiln for chemical munition and explosives destruction, and has experience with rotary kiln incinerators and their pollution-abatement systems at many facilities. GA’s Spreewerk Lübben ISL facility has both circulating bed and rotary kiln incinerators, and GA has contributed to the APE kiln system upgrade at the MCAAP facility.
Spreewerk Lübben (ISL)
ISL ( www.spreewerk.com) is one of the most modern and efficient privately held full-service demilitarization facilities in the world. Located in Lübben, Germany (near Berlin), ISL is fully permitted to demilitarize all conventional munitions. It specializes in items such as small arms, bombs (250 lbs – 2,000 lbs), white phosphorus items, Explosive D (one of only two facilities in the world to process this item), cluster munitions like ICMs, CBUs (more experience in processing CBUs than any other facility in the world), missiles (from Stingers and TOWs to larger items like HAWK, NIKE/HERCULES, Mavericks, and MLRS - including the ammonium perchlorate propellant), mines (AT/AP land mines and sea/ocean mines), and artillery shells and projectiles.
(Click images to enlarge)
ISL is fully compliant with all German and NATO Safety Regulations, including AQAP 110 and 2130, ISO 14001, ISO 9001:2000, as well as all DOD and National German Law and Regulation and has never encountered an environmental violation citation from German or US authorities. ISL strives to maximize recycling (R3) on all demil contracts and incorporates 100% wastewater-free demilitarization. In addition to exceptional demilitarization services, ISL also specializes in design and development of demil technologies, post-design services and modifications to existing technologies and facilities as well as consulting, including shipping and transportation logistics.
The ISL system consists of an APE-1236 rotary kiln with both positive and conveyor feed systems, an afterburner, a slurry feed system to feed slurried propellant to two circulating bed combustors using an overhead conveyer system, a pollution abatement system (PAS), full balance of plant, and an integrated process control system with remote, automated control equipment. Hazards, safety, and reliability analyses were performed for the process and process equipment. Q/D explosive limits were implemented for the facility and process equipment.
GA provided the APE 1236 rotary kiln for deactivation and incineration of energetics at the facility. The kiln incorporates thick-wall retort sections to allow deactivation of small munitions without disassembly. GA also provided an extensive pollution abatement system to meet the stringent German environmental standards.
APE Kiln System
Army Peculiar Equipment (APE) rotary kiln incinerator systems are used to deactivate explosives in or from conventional munitions. Similar larger rotary kilns have been used to deactivate explosives from larger munitions (deactivation furnaces) in US chemical demilitarization plants. An adequate PAS, balance of plant equipment, and an integrated process control system with remote, automated controls are required for these systems. Hazards, safety, and reliability analyses are performed for the process and process equipment. Q/D explosive limits are determined for the facility and process equipment.
In addition to design and installation of an APE rotary kiln system in Germany, GA has been involved with operation and performance testing of APE systems in the US. The system at MCAAP is integrated with the cryofracture system, and GA has been instrumental in upgrade of the system to meet current pollution abatement system requirements. GA is currently discussing cryofracture systems using APE incinerators at other facilities.
