Technicians completed repairs to the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Explosive Destruction System Sept. 26, and the system will undergo inspections before operations resume.

“With approval of the repair documentation package by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, agent operations can resume,” said Bruce Huenefeld, PCAPP EDS site project manager.

An indent on the sealing surface was machined down and built back up with specialty welding then the newly welded surface was machined back to original specifications, Huenefeld said. After each step of the welding was completed, a dye penetrant test was performed, which was followed by a final helium leak test, and the vessel was certified to be returned to its original condition.

Damage to the EDS door seal was discovered Aug. 7 during cleanout operations after the last successful destruction of munitions in the unit.

“We believe that during the door closing and sealing process, a tiny piece of metal fragment became lodged between the two metal surfaces,” said Huenefeld. As the two surfaces were pressed together during the door sealing step, an indent to the EDS door sealing surface was made.

Prior to this unplanned downtime, the PCAPP EDS surpassed the halfway point in its initial campaign by destroying 347 of the 560 chemical munitions and Department of Transportation bottles identified for elimination.

Employees from Grayloc Corp., a subcontractor of Sandia National Laboratories, conducted the repair work.