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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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      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

      BGCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky.

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      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

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Pueblo Plant Water Recovery System Proving Effective

Published: June 1, 2017 | Category: PCAPP News, Technology
Salt cakes in a roll off bin, produced from surrogate thiodiglycol at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in February 2016. Since May 23, seven roll off bins, each containing approximately 20,000 pounds of salt cakes, have been produced from biotreated effluent.

Salt cakes in a roll off bin, produced from surrogate thiodiglycol at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant in February 2016. Since May 23, seven roll off bins, each containing approximately 20,000 pounds of salt cakes, have been produced from biotreated effluent.

The Brine Reduction System (BRS) at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is working as designed, recovering water and recycling it back into the facility.

“The Brine Reduction System is doing what it was intended to do, which is recycling water and producing salt cakes,” said Paul Usinowicz, technical advisor, PCAPP.

After hydrolysate, the product of the mustard agent neutralization process, is treated by Immobilized Cell Bioreactors (ICB), biotreated effluent is pumped to the BRS for further processing and water recovery.

“Effluent from the biotreatment process consists of a high concentration of inorganic salt, residual thiodiglycol (TDG) and biomass,” said Usinowicz.

An 86-foot tall evaporator is used to boil water from the effluent and recover the water through condensation. The water is filtered and then recycled back into the plant.

“Approximately 85 to 90 percent of water is recovered and used in the ICBs and other areas of the plant,” Usinowicz said.

After evaporation, the concentrated brine is pumped to a crystallizer to further reduce the brine volume and to prepare the salt slurry for filtration. Salt crystals and other solids are filtered out and compressed, resulting in a filtered salt cake. The salt cakes are sampled for TDG and trace minerals and must pass a paint filter test for free water before being sent to a hazardous waste disposal facility, said Usinowicz.

“We have been able to show the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment that we are meeting standards necessary for the recovered water to be used in the plant. This is a big accomplishment,” Usinowicz said.

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 Neutralization

Related News

  • Bioreactors Seeded with Biomass

    Bioreactors Seeded with Biomass

    October 22, 2018
  • Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Complete

    Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Complete

    September 14, 2017
  • First Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Successful

    First Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Successful

    August 11, 2017
  • Temporary Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Begins

    Temporary Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Begins

    August 1, 2017
  • Colorado Plant Achieves Munition Processing Milestone

    Colorado Plant Achieves Munition Processing Milestone

    June 22, 2017
  • Salt Cake Shipment Signifies Complete Plant Cycle

    Salt Cake Shipment Signifies Complete Plant Cycle

    June 21, 2017

Related Videos

  • Temporary Off-site Shipment of Hydrolysate from Colorado Plant

    Temporary Off-site Shipment of Hydrolysate from Colorado Plant

    June 29, 2017
  • PCAPP is Committed to Secondary Process

    PCAPP is Committed to Secondary Process

    January 23, 2017
  • Surrogate Testing Proves Successful at the Pueblo Plant

    Surrogate Testing Proves Successful at the Pueblo Plant

    September 23, 2016
  • Fun Video Shows Science Behind Destruction of Chemical Weapons in Colorado

    Fun Video Shows Science Behind Destruction of Chemical Weapons in Colorado

    July 5, 2016
  • Five Steps of Chemical Weapons Destruction at PCAPP

    Five Steps of Chemical Weapons Destruction at PCAPP

    March 31, 2014

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