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

PCAPP Monthly Recap – December 2019

Published: December 20, 2019 | Category: Monthly Recap, PCAPP News

Highlights

Seeding of the plant’s third Immobilized Cell Bioreactor module to handle increased throughput of hydrolysate, the caustic wastewater resulting from chemical agent neutralization, began Dec. 20. The process is expected to take approximately four to six weeks to acclimate the biomass to the hydrolysate feed.
The main plant’s third 30-day hydrolysate storage tank re-entered service after new welds were re-certified. Recent staggered weld repairs on the three tanks allowed for upgrades and preventive maintenance while continuing to allow the plant to process munitions.
Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) site preparations continued in December with the start of installation for the Sprung structure to cover the first unit. Coatings on two pads are complete and await state of Colorado and Pueblo County approval before placement of SDC equipment can begin on those pads. 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 Dec. 19, 197,318 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 Dec. 19, 64,215 4.2-inch mortar rounds have been reconfigured.

Upcoming Meetings

Permitting and Biotreatment Utilization Group Meeting
Jan. 29, 2020, at 2 p.m. MST
District Attorney’s Conference Room
701 Court St.
Pueblo, Colorado

Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission
Jan. 29, 2020, 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.