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Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/25/2018 2:38 PM

I have been receiving some spam on investing in a firm specialising in munitions disposal. One of their techniques appears to be a 2000ºC torch. To me this seemed to be about the most dangerous way possible, so I internetted further and found this literature review, which seemed to make a lot more sense. It includes techniques such as water-jet cutting and cooling with liquid nitrogen, which seem much safer to me. What do folk think?

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#1

Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 3:35 PM

I would say what is the military preference for disposal...and how many government contracts do they have...the proof is in the pudding...The political ground seems like it would be rather shaky as well...I am aware of some pilot programs that tested this or a similar method of disposal, could probably find the results with a little effort, but as I recall there were problems...so it seems too speculative for me, I wouldn't touch it with a 10ft pole....there are many safer bets around...

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#2

Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 5:33 PM

It is well know that burning dynamite is an acceptable disposal method. Just don't hit it with a hammer. Other ordinance, I have no clue and don't want to experiment to find out.

You used the word "spam" which throws up all sorts of red flags in itself.

Two sayings come to mind. Let the buyer beware and there's a sucker born every minute.

SE has the right idea, but if you can afford to lose the money and would like the bragging rights, then go ahead.

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#3

Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 6:29 PM

Blow them up in enemy territory....

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#4

Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 7:23 PM

Why would it, many modern explosives used in munitions won't explode due to heat and hence fire could make sense as a disposal method for disassembled warheads.

I don't see how cooling could make the explosive materials permanently inert, and water jet cutting is only for disassembly not disposing of the explosive.

You still shouldn't invest unless you are both really interested and do your homework thoroughly.

Got a link to the original source?

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#5

Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 7:58 PM

Well if I remember correctly this plasma torch technique was only used for the nasty chemical weapons, real toxic crap that had to be utterly destroyed....the others are recyclable in part, and nuclear is a whole different thing...

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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 10:24 PM

That rings a bit of a bell also. Thermal oxidation incineration of various high temperatures is used to convert hazardous or toxic chemicals to constituant and safer elements or molecules. 1400F is used for many solvents. Temperature will vary based on the chemical being treated and the allowable exhaust chemicals.

So in theory if you can safely extract the chemical from the weapon, transport it to the incinerator, document proper procedures are followed, and test the exhaust, yes you can dispose of the weapon.

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#7
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Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/25/2018 10:44 PM

Yes it all looked very good in theory and on paper and the demonstrations were impressive, but in actual practice it turned out to be rather messy and problematic, leading to slower than anticipated processing and less than desirable results ....I don't remember if the program was continued to completion or abandoned at some late stage...

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#8
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Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/26/2018 5:18 AM

Thank you all. I will say that I have done my due diligence, and there is no likelihood of my investing in this. What interested me was the proposed manner of disposal. The reference I gave in my OP downloads a pdf from Defence Research and Development Canada.

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#11
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Re: Munitions disposal techniques

02/26/2018 8:38 AM

https://www.tradebesolventrecycling.com/cemfuel-cement-kiln-fuels

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#9

Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/26/2018 5:48 AM

There are these, which come after the date of the literature review that you posted. I can't comment further on them.

https://patents.google.com/patent/US8178744B1/en?oq=8178744+

https://patents.google.com/patent/US9366517B2/en?oq=9366517

I'd be interested in seeing that spam e-mail. If you'd be willing to forward it to me, please send me a PM.

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#10

Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/26/2018 6:19 AM

If it comes from an African prince it must be OK!

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#12

Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/26/2018 9:23 AM

I would use caution only from the source however having made that comment I saw a video on disarming IED with heat. They used a compound that burns very hot similar to thermite and once the IED was identified they placed a quantity of the combustible material on the IED and it melted down and rendered the IED useless as an explosive. Seemed a lot safer than placing a person in harms way.

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#13

Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/26/2018 12:02 PM

When I was a young man in the oil field, the company I worked for did well perforating, among other things. For this we would use an explosive cord between the blasting cap and the perforating shots. Disposal was always by fire. Some explosives require shock, not fire, to set them off.

The janitor of the company played a trick with all new engineers when they returned from their first job with explosives. He'd be burning the cord by the parking lot and when we exited our car, he'd throw an aerosol can in the fire and run. Not a safe move, but it certainly scared the h*** out of the engineer, and yes, I was caught by this as well.

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#14
In reply to #13

Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/27/2018 11:58 AM

When I was a young man in the Tool , Die and Moldmaking industry, I made the mold for the rubber insulator caps for the well perforation explosives. I used to have a sample in my shop but decided that I just have TOO much stuff around. It ended up in the dump with a bunch of other old samples.

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#15
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Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/27/2018 1:08 PM

Very good.

Originally I was with a company that just blew holes into the casing with hot gasses from the explosion.

I ended up with Dresser Atlas that had their own way of doing this. They had what we called "guns" as they were literally loaded with 6 shots per foot and each shot had a 1" long x 0.45 diameter steel pointed shot. I still have one of the 0.45 slugs we shot into the casing. As feared by Halliburton, these things came back out with a frack job and that is where this was found.

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#16
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Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/27/2018 4:20 PM

That sounds extremely familiar. Especially the company name. A lot of times I wasn't privy to all the customer details as a lot of the contracts were Aerospace (specifically the space shuttle), Military (F-18 and A1 Abrams tank) and Oil field parts. Those are just the ones I had received the detailed job info for. Way too many more that I built that I was never told what the tool or mold was for though I had a fair idea as to where the part was going. I wish I was in that industry still. I miss the autonomy and creativity that job afforded me!

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#17
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Re: Munitions Disposal Techniques

02/28/2018 8:17 AM

As opposed to your position, there is no way I'm going back to the oilfield. I saved one year of my driving log books (engineers got pressed into driving the big trucks at times) and I only need to read over them again to verify I'm not going back. That year averages out to a few minutes short of a 100hr/week average. And the time we went for 5 jobs in a row in a 72 hour span, with no rest - that is in there. The jobs were close to each other, but still, 30 miles of driving when you haven't slept for 2 days is a bit difficult. I swear I saw a dinosaur on NY Rt.17 on the return trip to home base. I stopped 3 miles short of home base and slept for 5 hours in the truck, and caught he** from the base manager for doing so.

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