Analysis of Engineering Design Studies for Demilitarization of Assembled Chemical Weapons at Blue Grass Army Depot

The U.S. Army is in the process of destroying the nation's stockpile of aging chemical weapons stored at eight locations in the continental United States and on Johnston Atoll in the Pacific. Originally, incineration was chosen for the destruction of these stores, but this method has met with public opposition, and Congress directed the Army to develop alternative technologies for destroying the stockpiles in Pueblo, CO and Richmond, KY. To assist the Army in this process, the NRC was asked to evaluate the engineering design study of the three Blue Grass candidates. This book presents an analysis of various issues pertaining to the proposed engineering design package for the Blue Grass facility. Table of Contents Front Matter Executive Summary 1 Introduction 2 Hydrolysis Tests of Energetic Materials 3 AEA Silver II Technology Package 4 Eco Logic Technology Package 5 General Atomics Technology Package 6 General Findings References Appendix A: Description of Munitions in the Blue Grass Army Depot Stockpile Appendix B: Committee Meetings, Site Visits, and Information-Gathering Activities Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members