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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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Surrogate Test Completed at Blue Grass

Published: November 30, 2022 | Category: BGCAPP News, Safety
Staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listen and look as they are provided a tour of the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 during surrogate testing. Boxes containing surrogate materials waiting to be fed into the detonation chamber sit on the infeed conveyor in the foreground.

Staff from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listen and look as they are provided a tour of the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 during surrogate testing. Boxes containing surrogate materials waiting to be fed into the detonation chamber sit on the infeed conveyor in the foreground.

Experts preparing the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant concluded an important test in early November, preparing for its use destroying nerve agent by effectively destroying surrogate chemicals, according to preliminary results.

“This was the next step in demonstrating the system is capable of safely destroying nerve-agent filled rockets,” said Dave Webb, Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) plant manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “Successful destruction of the surrogate chemical, napthalene, which is more difficult to destroy than the nerve agent, shows the system can readily handle nerve agent destruction.”

The chemical napthalene is a common industrial chemical, and the system was also tested with monochlorobenzine, a solvent, as the surrogate for the polychlorinated biphenyls that are in the shipping and firing tubes containing the rockets. Webb said the surrogate test is important for several reasons, one of which is this will be the first time nerve agent will be destroyed in an SDC.

“While SDC units have been effectively used at the Blue Grass plant and elsewhere for other items and substances, such as mustard agent, this system must be proven to be able to effectively destroy nerve agent,” Webb said. “This test proved the system can destroy the agent to at least ‘six nines,’ or 99.9999% efficiency. The results from this test will also support the maximum feed rate we will use during operations.”

As with chemical weapons destruction, worker safety is paramount during systems testing, said Webb. Pre-measured and packaged surrogate chemicals were used so the workers would not have to measure and package them for the test, and all operational plans and procedures were followed during the test. Final test results are expected in December.

Program officials said SDC 2000 should begin operations in late December by destroying containerized rocket warheads separated from their motors and drained of their chemical agent in the main plant. The unit will also destroy complete, overpacked rockets.

More BGCAPP News Articles

  • A skid of containerized, drained rocket warheads stands in the Static Detonation Chamber 2000 Enclosure Building to await destruction.

    Permit Modification Request to Increase Feed Rate Open to Public Comment

    Published: February 6, 2023
  • Operators move hoses to prepare for the transfer of hydrolysate into a truck tanker trailer at the Tanker Loading Station at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Blue Grass Plant Marks Secondary Waste Destruction Milestone

    Published: October 21, 2022
  • Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant crews inspect containerized drained rocket warheads before they are shipped to temporary storage.

    Public Comment Sought on Blue Grass Permit Modification

    Published: August 25, 2022
  • Workers install portions of the automated loading system for the Blue Grass Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 2000 in the SDC 2000 Enclosure Building April 4. This equipment will take the place of human munitions handlers in loading containerized or overpacked munitions and components into the chamber for destruction.

    State Regulator Approves Two Blue Grass Permit Modifications

    Published: May 23, 2022
  • Workers remove used carbon filters from the Blue Grass Explosive Destruction Technology air filtration system for disposal as hazardous waste.

    Teamwork Key to Removing Used Carbon Filters

    Published: April 19, 2022
  • Workers pass a piece of plywood up the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 stairs in preparation for opening the roof to allow a new piece of equipment to be lowered into the building. The building passed decontamination verification testing in January, which means workers do not have to wear chemical protective gear as they prepare for the system’s next activity.

    Former Mustard Destruction Facility Passes Crucial Test

    Published: March 1, 2022
  • Workers drill holes for structural steel placement on the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 Off-gas Treatment System Building foundation at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. A public comment period is open through March 16 for a permit modification request for this system.

    Comment Period Open for Public Input on Draft Environmental Permit

    Published: February 23, 2022
  • A worker guides a crane after its placement of the thermal oxidizer for the Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) 1200 unit at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The SDC 1200 requires a completely new off-gas treatment system in order to process drained, containerized VX nerve-agent warheads.

    New Pollution Abatement System Under Construction

    Published: August 30, 2021
  • A forklift operator is guided by spotters as he loads a crate of non-contaminated rocket motors onto a truck at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant July 20. The Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection has opened a public comment period for plant modification requests that include additional storage space for the motors.

    Public Comment Period Open for Hydrolysate Shipment, Rocket Motor Storage

    Published: July 29, 2021
  • A truck and tank trailer sit in the tanker loading station at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Project Managers to Discuss Hydrolysate Shipment at June 9 Public Meeting

    Published: June 3, 2021
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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)