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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 13 between air and fuel. There would be some tendency for bubble formation to result in agent bypassing the combustion zone and afterburners are still needed. These systems can also retain much of the oxidized halogens, sulfur, and phosphorus if appropriate basic acceptors are part of the salt or solids system; and they can also deal with energetics of small particle size, although their ability to handle metal parts seems limited. Both molten salt and fluidized-bed systems are used for toxic waste disposal. To apply either to demilitarization would probably be possible by proceeding directly to design and construction of a demonstration unit. The catalytic fixed bed is of special interest for use as an afterburner for the final oxidation of any unoxidized material in gas effluents from another destruction process. The familiar automobile catalytic converter is an example of this application. The presence of halogens, phosphorus, and sulfur in the destruction products from agents and energetics will probably preclude the use of very active catalysts. However, operation at higher temperatures could allow use of rugged catalysts or even common ceramics. For many situations, external electrical heating will minimize dependence on heat generation in the catalytic oxidation unit and minimize production of waste gas. An important variation on all these high-temperature oxidation systems is their operation with pure oxygen instead of air. As discussed below, the volume of waste gas can be greatly reduced by substituting oxygen for air. Although technology is available to shift from air to oxygen, demonstration of operation with oxygen would be required. Various combinations of all these systems as they might be used in the stockpile disposal program are considered later. WASTE STREAM HANDLING Chemical demilitarization waste streams that require special treatment are gas effluents, metal parts and containers, salts from the neutralization of acid gases, and liquids. Gas Effluents The risks to surrounding communities from gas effluents of destruction operations can be controlled and reduced by several approaches: use of activated-carbon beds (charcoal filters); temporary storage of gas waste streams, with chemical analysis before release; or approaches that minimize or eliminate the discharge of gas wastes. The techniques involved are generally well-known, but would have to be tailored to address very low
