PCAPP Monthly Recap – November 2019 | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)

PCAPP Monthly Recap – November 2019

Published: December 4, 2019 | Category: Monthly Recap, PCAPP News

Highlights

A series of informational meetings gave the public a chance to learn more about the plant’s application for a Part B Hazardous Waste Operating Permit. The permit will replace the current Research, Development and Demonstration permit following the plant’s transition from pilot testing to normal operations, and will be the final version of the operating permit required for the main plant.
New splash guards were designed by PCAPP maintenance and installed in Cavity Access Machines of the Munitions Washout System in the main plant’s Agent Processing Building in an effort to reduce the effects of pressurized rounds.
Preparations are underway to activate the main plant’s third Immobilized Cell Bioreactor module to handle increased throughput of hydrolysate, the caustic wastewater resulting from chemical agent neutralization. Seeding of the ICB module with microbes will begin in early December and take approximately four to six weeks to acclimate the biomass to the hydrolysate feed.
The main plant’s third 30-day hydrolysate storage tank was upgraded with new welds and awaits re-certification before re-entering service.
A section of corroded piping in the main plant’s Brine Reduction System/Off-gas Treatment System was replaced and new stainless-steel alternatives were ordered as investigation of the issue’s cause and prevention efforts continued.
Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) site preparations continued in November with placement of the first unit. Three SDC units will augment the main plant by destroying 4.2-inch mortar rounds and any other problematic projectiles not suitable for automated processing.
As of Nov. 29, 190,317 155mm projectiles have been processed in the main plant.
Baseline Reconfiguration of 4.2-inch boxed mortar rounds from boxed storage to pallets ready for processing continued. As of Nov. 29, 61,450 4.2-inch mortar rounds have been reconfigured.

Upcoming Meetings

Permitting and Biotreatment Utilization Group Meeting
Dec. 11, 2019, at 2 p.m. MST
Robert Hoag Rawlings Public Library, Bret Kelly A Room
100 E. Abriendo Ave.
Pueblo, Colorado

Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission
Dec. 11, 2019, at 6 p.m. MST
Olde Towne Carriage House
102 S. Victoria Ave.
Pueblo, Colorado

New to PCAPP?

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is a state-of-the-art facility built to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot, Colorado. The main plant uses neutralization followed by biotreatment to destroy the mustard agent stockpile. The safety of the workforce and neighboring communities is the project’s most important priority.