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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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Custom Equipment Created for Plant Testing

Published: March 3, 2020 | Category: BGCAPP News, Technology
A scientist looks at a thermal dosimeter created specifically to test Metal Parts Treater heating zones at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The dosimeters react at very specific temperatures to ensure the zones are working correctly.

A scientist looks at a thermal dosimeter created specifically to test Metal Parts Treater heating zones at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The dosimeters react at very specific temperatures to ensure the zones are working correctly.

Scientists created special tools, called thermal dosimeters, for testing Metal Parts Treater temperatures in the Blue Grass main plant.

“This is the tool that lets us verify the material coming out of the Metal Parts Treaters has reached the Army’s standard for decontamination,” said Rachel Thurston, senior research scientist, Battelle Memorial Institute. “There was no equivalent product, so we had to develop one.”

The dosimeters are sealed Pyrex or quartz tubes that contain metal oxide compounds that melt at specific temperatures and are individually etched with serial numbers, Thurston said. The scientists created dosimeters for four exact temperatures to evaluate the different heat zones in the treaters.

“We used hundreds of these dosimeters in our testing process,” said Stephen Greasor, interdisciplinary engineer, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. “We placed them inside test munitions, on conveyor trays and other places to ensure the zones were reaching the proper operating temperatures and the munitions would reach proper destruction temperatures. There was no other product available commercially to do this and they were very helpful.”

The Metal Parts Treaters are large chambers heated by electrical induction coils to more than 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure complete decontamination of munitions bodies and other metal parts such as projectile nose closures as part of the chemical munitions destruction process.

BGCAPP Technology Articles

  • 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
  • Toxic Area entrants decontaminate the Agent Neutralization System room at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant with a caustic solution after the conclusion of the GB 8-inch projectile campaign. (Still image from closed-circuit television.)

    Workers Start Facility Decontamination

    Published: June 16, 2020
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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)