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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
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      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

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Last Systemization Turnovers Move Plant Closer to Pilot Testing

Published: July 18, 2016 | Category: PCAPP News, Technology
A delivery of biomass from the Pueblo Wastewater Reclamation Facility arrived at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant on June 1. The biomass is used to seed the biotreatment process for destruction of thiodiglycol, the main ingredient of agent hydrolysate.

A delivery of biomass from the Pueblo Wastewater Reclamation Facility arrived at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant on June 1. The biomass is used to seed the biotreatment process for destruction of thiodiglycol, the main ingredient of agent hydrolysate.

On June 24, Biotreatment Area systems were turned over from systemization to operations, nearly completing the systemization phase at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP).

“We achieved a milestone last month when Immobilized Cell Bioreactor (ICB) modules 3 and 4 and corresponding Bioreactor Off-gas Treatment System were turned over,” said Dr. Yakup Nurdogan, cognizant system engineer, PCAPP. “This is significant because we are now ready for pilot testing.”

The purpose of the biotreatment system is to treat hydrolysate and recover, recycle and reuse water at the plant, where there is a limited water supply from groundwater, said Dr. Nurdogan.

During agent destruction operations, hydrolysate, a byproduct of the chemical agent neutralization process, will be pumped into the ICBs to be treated by an aerobic biological treatment process oxidizing organics by biomass, or microorganisms, said Dr. Jim Earley, chief scientist, PCAPP.

During surrogate testing, which began in early June, ICBs were tested with thiodiglycol (TDG), the primary component of hydrolysate, manufactured by BASF of Ludwigshafen, Germany. Five batches of increased concentrations of TDG were added to the ICBs, seeded with biomass, over a five-day period. Preliminary results show greater than 99 percent TDG removal efficiencies during batch and initial continuous flow operations, said Dr. Nurdogan.

With all PCAPP systems and facilities turned over to operations, pilot testing, the phase when chemical agent-filled munitions will be gradually introduced, will begin once systemization has been certified as complete and all other approvals and permits are in place.

More PCAPP Technology Articles

  • Agent-filled 4.2-inch mortar rounds are monitored during Static Detonation Chamber agent trial testing operations at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Static Detonation Chamber Trial Testing Concludes

    Published: May 13, 2022
  • After a chemical weapon is drained of agent and rinsed with high-pressure hot water, Agent Washwater Separator tanks collect fluid before sending it to Agent Neutralization Reactors to destroy the mustard agent. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has two tanks, providing the plant with redundancy when neutralizing agent.

    Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    Published: March 28, 2022
  • All chemical weapons from the Colorado stockpile are sorted into four color-coded lots to reduce delays in destruction due to problematic munitions.

    Color Coding Boosts Chemical Weapon Destruction

    Published: March 23, 2022
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician holds the first 4.2-inch mortar round to be processed in the Static Detonation Chamber complex.

    First Agent Destroyed in Static Detonation Chamber

    Published: February 22, 2022
  • Static Detonation Chamber ordnance technicians Rachelle S. and Mike W. remove a 57mm conventional ammunition round from its fiber tube during SDC non-agent Trial Burn Testing.

    Conventional Explosives Demonstrate Static Detonation Chamber Capability

    Published: February 15, 2022
  • Munitions transporters unload inert 4.2-inch mortar rounds from the back of a Modified Ammunition Vehicle during Integrated Operations Demonstrations. (Portions of this photograph have been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines)

    Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Team Demonstrates Operations

    Published: February 2, 2022
PCAPP Biotreatment

Related Content

  • Systemization Nears Completion at Pueblo Plant

    Systemization Nears Completion at Pueblo Plant

    October 16, 2015
  • Systemization at the Pueblo and Blue Grass Chemical-Agent Destruction Pilot Plants

    Systemization at the Pueblo and Blue Grass Chemical-Agent Destruction Pilot Plants

    December 14, 2010

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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)