System and method for remediation of explosive contamination using convective heat

Abstract

According to the present teachings, a system and method are provided for decontaminating a conduit or vessel contaminated with residual explosive material. The system can include a heated gas flow source for heating a gas and providing a flow of the heated gas into the interior of a conduit or vessel. The temperature of the heated flow of gas can be at or in excess of the break down temperature of the residual explosive material.

1 . A system comprising: 
 a conduit or vessel comprising an internal surface including a residual explosive material deposited in or on the internal surface; and    a heated gas flow source in fluid communication with the internal surface, wherein the residual explosive material has a break down temperature and the heated gas flow source is adapted to produce a flow of heated gas into the sewer line sufficient to heat the internal surface to a temperature at or in excess of the break down temperature.    
   
   
       2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises a sanitary waste line.  
   
   
       3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises an industrial pipeline.  
   
   
       4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises a storm water drain line.  
   
   
       5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the internal surface has an internal diameter of from about one inch to about 100 inches.  
   
   
       6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the inner diameter is from about six inches to about 36 inches.  
   
   
       7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the residual explosive material deposited on the internal surface comprises one or more of nitroguanidine, dinitrotoluene, trinitrotoluene, hexogene, octogene, tetryl, nitrocellulose, nitro-glycerine, ammonium nitrate, lead azide, lead styphnate, and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated gas flow source comprises a heater to heat a gas and a blower to introduce the heated gas into the conduit or vessel.  
   
   
       9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated gas flow source comprises a gas burner and a source of an alkane.  
   
   
       10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the source of an alkane comprises one or more of ethane, propane, butane, pentane, hexane, heptane, octane, and a combination thereof.  
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises an inlet and an outlet, the heated gas flow source is in fluid communication with the inlet, and the heated gas flow source is capable of increasing the temperature of all points along the internal surface from the inlet to the outlet, to a temperature at or in excess of the break down temperature.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated gas flow source is capable of producing from about 500,000 British Thermal Units (BTU) to about 10,000,000 BTUs of energy.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated gas flow source is capable of producing a heated gas at a flow rate of from about 200 cubic feet per minute (CFM) to about 5,000 CFM.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the heated gas flow source is capable of producing a gas flow having a temperature of from about 150° F. to about 3,000° F.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the heated gas flow source is capable of producing a gas flow having a temperature of from about 1,000° F. to about 3,000° F.  
   
   
       16 . A method comprising: 
 connecting a heated gas flow source to a conduit or vessel, the conduit or vessel including an internal surface and comprising residual explosive material deposited in or on the internal surface, the residual explosive material having a break down temperature at which the residual explosive material chemically breaks down;    introducing a heated gas flow into the conduit or vessel; and    maintaining a heated gas flow into the conduit or vessel at least until the temperature of the internal surface reaches a temperature at or in excess of the break down temperature.    
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heated gas flow is introduced at a temperature of from about 150° F. to about 3,000° F.  
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heated gas flow is introduced at a temperature of from about 1,000° F. to about 3,000° F.  
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises at least one inlet and at least one outlet, the heated gas flow is introduced at the at least one inlet, and the heated gas flow has a temperature at the outlet of at least about 200° F.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising producing the heated gas flow by burning a fuel in the presence of oxygen gas.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heated gas flow comprises heated air and combustion products.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises a sewer line.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the conduit or vessel comprises an aboveground or underground storage tank.  
   
   
       24 . A method, comprising: 
 providing a heated gas flow at an initial temperature to a conduit or vessel that comprises an inlet, an outlet, and an internal surface, the internal surface comprising residual explosive material having a break down temperature, deposited at least therein or thereon, the internal surface being in fluid communication with the heated gas flow; and    maintaining the heated gas flow at or above the initial temperature at least until the temperature of the heated gas flow at the outlet is at or above the break down temperature of the residual explosive material.    
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising periodically monitoring the temperature of the heated gas flow at the inlet, at the outlet, or at both the inlet and the outlet.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 24 , further comprising increasing the initial temperature to a target temperature that is at or above the break down temperature of the residual explosive material.