Effects of Degraded Agent and Munitions Anomalies on Chemical Stockpile Disposal Operations (2004) / Chapter Skim
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2. Occurrences and Origins of Anomalies
2. Occurrences and Origins of Anomalies
Pages 5-18
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From page 5... ...
· sludged agent (HD) · randomly occurring heavy metals, which create problems in meeting stack emission limits during processing · foaming mustard agent · internal pressurization of munitions from hydrogen gas generation · various mechanical anomalies such as fabrication discontinuities (cracks and scratches)
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From page 6... ...
the chemistry of the agents, the configurations of munitions containing agents, and applicable corrosion mechanisms. DESCRIPTION OF MUNITIONS AND CONTAINERS A detailed description of the original stockpile is given in Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (FPEIS)
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From page 7... ...
For example, workers in protective clothing perform the overpacking procedure and also decontaminate any area that has been affected by a leak. In general, hazards to workers may arise from conditions such as the following: agent leakage · potential ignition of energetics by a spurious electric discharge instabilities of stabilizers used in energeticsespecially the stabilizer in the M55 rocket propellant interactions between agent, energetics, and/or structural materials undetected manufacturing flaws
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From page 8... ...
—~ ~ / / / / / ~ Agent Fill I—Bonnet r valve | ~ Eduction Tube (C) ~ 1~117f Agent Fill ~ FIGURE 2-2 (a)
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From page 9... ...
GB No No No Yes Weteye bombs GB No No No No Spray tanks VX No No No No Ton containers GB, VX, GA,4 No No No No mustard, lewisitee aMSS rockets are processed in individual fiberglass shipping containers. bFuzes and land mines are stored together but not assembled.
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From page 10... ...
These fittings were subsequently replaced with steel fittings on all the ton containers. One common type of anomaly munitions containing either GB or mustard agent that has gelled has consequences for the conduct of disposal operations.
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From page 11... ...
. Following recommendations from a blue ribbon panel convened in March 1983 to review the chemical retaliatory surveillance and sampling program, the Surveillance Program for Lethal Chemical Agents and Munitions (SUPLECAM)
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From page 12... ...
disulfide; o,o'-diethylmethyl phosphonolate; o,o'-diethylmethyl phosphonothiolate; diisopropylaminoethyl mercaptan; o,S-diethyl methyl phosphonothiolate; diisopropylaminoethylethyl sulfide; o,S-diethyl methyl phosphonate; N,N'-diisopropylamino ethyl methyl phosphonate; S-ethyl, Sdiisopropyl amino ethyl methyl phosphonothiolate; o-ethyl, S-diisopropyl amino ethyl methyl phosphonothiolate; S'-diisopropyl amino ethyl methyl phosphonothiolate; diisopropylamine HF; isopropyl methylphosphonic acid (IMP) ; isopropanol; propene; methyl phosphono fluoridate; diisopropyl methyl phosphonate (DIMP)
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From page 13... ...
to form A1F3 and liberate hydrogen gas: Aluminum + 3 HF ~ A1F3 + 3/2 H2 The A1F3 can complex with additional fluoride ion to form A1F4- or the highly stable A1F63- anion. Two factors that could affect GB decomposition rates need to be considered: autocatalytic processes and rate acceleration at higher temperatures.
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From page 14... ...
The degree of gelling ranges from increased viscosity that slows the draining process to a semisolid state or to a crystallized state, either of which makes it impossible to drain agent after the agent cavity of the rocket has been punched open. EFFECTS OF DEGRADED AGENT AND MUNITIONS ANOMALIES ON CHEMICAL STOCKPILE DISPOSAL OPERATIONS Gel formation has been attributed to the formation of aluminum phosphonate complexes.l° The A13+ ions, formed during the acidic corrosion of aluminum munition parts, can react with the IMPA- ions formed in Pathway III to form a trig-isopropyl methyl phosphonatoaluminate complex: o 3CH3P O + Al3+ ~ Al[OP(0)
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From page 15... ...
But since VX is a highly toxic material, these assumptions may need to be verified, as a precaution. Note that at least one of the decomposition products above (ethyl methylphosphonic acid)
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From page 16... ...
1 H2O r -Cl+yCH2 Cl-CH2-CH2-S\ CH 2 sulfonium ion thiodiglycol r H2O > S; / CH2-CH2-S-(CH2-CH2-OH) 2 \ CH2-CH2-CI sulfur mustardthiodiglycol aggregate ~ thiodiglycol /~ J~-CI- / / H2O CH2-CH2-S-(CH2-CH2-OH)
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From page 17... ...
17 in many cases only 3 to 4 lb of the 11 lb of agent fill could be drained; the rest of the material remained solidified in the munition casing (Novad, 2003~. DETERIORATION PROCESSES FOR ENERGETIC MATERIALS At the time this report was prepared, the chemical stockpile included 367,000 M55 rockets (276,000 GB; 91,000 VX)
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From page 18... ...
The resulting acidic decomposition products may corrode metal containment vessels, leading to agent leakage (particularly for GB )
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