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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: Destroy Chemical Weapons Stockpile

      Vision: Chemical Weapons Free by 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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Nitrogen Introduced into Blue Grass Plant for First Time

Published: February 21, 2018 | Category: BGCAPP News, Technology
  • An industrial hygienist tests air within the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant as nitrogen is introduced to plant systems in January.

    An industrial hygienist tests air within the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant as nitrogen is introduced to plant systems in January.

  • A technician tests piping for leaks during a pressurization test ahead of gaseous nitrogen being introduced to Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant systems.

    A technician tests piping for leaks during a pressurization test ahead of gaseous nitrogen being introduced to Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant systems.

Technicians introduced gaseous nitrogen into the Blue Grass plant for the first time Jan. 25.

“Nitrogen is an inert gas we use for several different purposes, from displacing oxygen in systems to avoid combustion to blanketing process tanks to prevent oxygen from reacting with chemicals,” said Mike Kester, start-up supervisor, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “We use it on a pretty wide basis.”

As the nitrogen was introduced into the plant, the special projects and utilities teams monitored piping and repaired leaks as necessary, Kester said. Engineers and technicians worked closely with safety and industrial hygiene personnel to prevent accidents during the process.

“This is another big step that gets the plant that much closer to operations,” Kester said. “Now that this system is up and running properly, we can move on to more advanced testing.”

Liquid nitrogen is delivered to the plant and stored in tanks at very low temperatures, then vaporized and supplied to the plant as a gas as needed, Kester said. It will be used from the systemization, or testing, phase through the end of operations.

More BGCAPP Technology Articles

  • In this file photograph from August 2018, Dr. George Lucier, deputy chief scientist, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass, explains to members of a public working group the rerouting of piping in the Supercritical Water Oxidation Processing Building to prepare for the possibility of hydrolysate shipment at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The decision was made in August 2020 to ship the hydrolysate to a permitted disposal facility for final destruction.

    Decision Made on Hydrolysate Treatment

    Published: March 31, 2021
  • VX Destruction Requires Change in Air Monitoring

    VX Destruction Requires Change in Air Monitoring

    Published: March 3, 2021
  • Specialized Equipment Arrives at Blue Grass Plant

    Specialized Equipment Arrives at Blue Grass Plant

    Published: November 18, 2020
  • Public Comment Invited on Plant Permit Modification Request

    Public Comment Invited on Plant Permit Modification Request

    Published: October 27, 2020
  • New Equipment Installed for Training

    New Equipment Installed for Training

    Published: October 26, 2020
  • Decision Made Regarding Use of Secondary System

    Decision Made Regarding Use of Secondary System

    Published: September 10, 2020
  • A munitions handler marks a box containing mustard agent-filled projectiles prior to destruction in the Explosive Destruction Technology facility at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. Destruction of 50% of the mustard munitions was achieved Sept. 1.

    Half of Blue Grass Mustard Agent Destroyed

    Published: September 2, 2020
  • Testing Simulated Warheads Assists Destruction Efforts

    Testing Simulated Warheads Assists Destruction Efforts

    Published: August 31, 2020
  • A worker drills holes in the concrete floor to install an equipment mounting plate in the Munitions Demilitarization Building at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Rocket Processing Changes Lead to Plant Updates

    Published: July 31, 2020
  • A robot places a containerized test rocket warhead on an autonomous vehicle during factory acceptance testing of the Rocket Warhead Containerization System for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    New Rocket Processing System Passes Test

    Published: July 9, 2020
BGCAPP Equipment

Related BGCAPP News

  • System Starts Processing 8-inch Test Projectiles

    System Starts Processing 8-inch Test Projectiles

    May 25, 2018
  • Team Works to Ensure Critical Balance

    Team Works to Ensure Critical Balance

    May 18, 2018
  • Technicians Start Air Filtration System for First Time

    Technicians Start Air Filtration System for First Time

    May 16, 2018
  • Water Systems Turned Over to Operations

    Water Systems Turned Over to Operations

    April 27, 2018
  • Experts: 21 Systems Turned Over to Operations

    Experts: 21 Systems Turned Over to Operations

    March 29, 2018
  • Major Neutralization System Passes Demonstration

    Major Neutralization System Passes Demonstration

    March 21, 2018
  • Key Blue Grass Systems Tested

    Key Blue Grass Systems Tested

    February 28, 2018

Related BGCAPP Info

  • Facts: Blue Grass ACWA Test Equipment

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