Patent EA-000631-B1 (EA)
Title: Method and apparatus to destroy chemical warfare agents
Inventor: ABEL ALBERT E
IPC: A62D101/45
Filed: 1996-10-10
Abstract: 1. A method for destroying a chemical warfare agent, which method comprises (A) creating a reaction mixture prepared from raw materials which include: (1) nitrogenous base; (2) at least one chemical warfare agent; and (3) active metal in an amount sufficient to destroy the chemical warfare agent; and (B) reacting said mixture, said reaction mixture comprising solvated electrons. 2. The method of Claim 1 wherein the reaction mixture is created by first mixing the nitrogenous base with the active metal, producing a solution containing the solvated electrons, and then combining the solution with the chemical warfare agent. 3. The method of Claim 1 wherein the solvated electrons are produced in the reaction mixture. 4. The method of Claim 1 in which the chemical warfare agent is in its native container and the reaction mixture is created in said native container. 5. The method of Claim l wherein the chemical warfare agent is selected from the group consisting of vesicants, nerve agents, and mixtures thereof, the formula of said vesicants containing at least one group of the formula:   in which X is halogen; said nerve agents being represented by the formula:   in which R1 is alkyl, R2 is selected from alkyl and amino, and Y la a leaving group. 6. The method of Claim 5 wherein R2 is alkyl and Y is selected d from the group consisting of halogen, nitrite and sulfide. 7. The method of Claim 5 wherein X is chlorine. 8. The nethod of Claim 5 wherein Y is halogen. 9. The method of Claim 8 wherein Y is fluorine. 10. The method of Claim 5 wherein the vesicants are selected from the group consisting of HD and Lewisite, and the nerve agents are selected from the group consisting of GA, GB, GD and VX. 11. The method of Claim 5 wherein the active metal is selected from Groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table and mixtures thereof. 12. The method of Claim 11 wherein the active metal is selected from Li, Na, K, Ca, and mixtures thereof. 13. The method of Claim 1 wherein the molar amount of the active metal is at least twice the molar amount of the chemical warfare agent. 14. The method of Claim 1 wherein the nitrogenous base is selected from the group consisting of ammonia, amines and mixtures thereof. 15. The method of Claim 14 wherein the amines are selected from the group consistingof methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, isopropylamine, butylamine and ethylenediamine. 16. The method of Claim 1 which further comprising oxidizing at least a portion of said reaction mixture following destruction of the chemical warfare agent. 17. The method of Claim 16 wherein the oxidizing agent includes hydrogen peroxide. 18. The method of Claim 1 wherein the mixture components react at temperature from -35 to 50 degree C. 19. A method for destroying a chemical warfare agent, which method comprises (A) creating a reaction mixture prepared from raw materials which consist essentially of: (1) nitrogenous base selected from the group consisting of ammonia, amines and mixtures thereof; said amines being selected from the group consisting of methylamine, ethylamine, propylamine, isopropylamine, butylamine and ethylenediamine; (2) at least one chemical warfare agent is selected from the group consisting of vesicants, nerve agents, and mixtures thereof, the formula of said vesicants containing at least one group of the formula:   in which X is halogen; said nerve agents being represented by the formula:   in which R1 is alkyl, R2 is selected from alkyl and amino, and Y la a leaving group. (3) at least one active metal is selected from Groups IA and IIA of the Periodic Table and mixtures thereof. (B) reacting said mixture to destroy at least about 90 percent by weight of the chemical warfare agent. 20. The method of Claim 19 wherein the reaction mixture comprises solvated electrons. 21. The method of Claim l wherein said reaction mixture is created in a reaction vessel included within a reactor system. 22. The method of Claim 21 wherein the reactor system further includes means for dissolving the active metal in the nitrogenous base to produce a solution comprising solvated electrons. 23. The method of Claim 21 wherein the reactor system further includes means for treating gas evolved from said reaction vessel. 24. The method of Claim 23 wherein said gas treating means includes means for recovering nitrogenous base and recycling it as make-up. 25. The method of Claim 24 wherein the reactor system further includes decanter means for receiving reaction products from the reaction vessel and separating the reaction products into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction. 26. The method of Claim 25 wherein the reaction system further includes means to contact the solid fraction with water to produce a fluid mixture. 27. The method of Claim 26 wherein the reactor system further includes means for oxidising the fluid mixture. 28. The method of Claim 19 carried out continuously. 29. The method of Claim 19 wherein the mixture components react at temperature from -35 to 50 degree C. 30. A method for destroying a chemical warfare agent selected from the group consisting of vesicants, nerve agents, and mixtures thereof, the formula of said vesicants containing at least one group of the formula:   in which X is halogen; said nerve agents being represented by the formula:   in which R1 is alkyl, R2 is selected from alkyl and amino, and Y is a leaving group, which method comprises: (A) providing a reactor system which includes: (1) a reaction vessel to receive the chemical warfare agent; (2) a solvator for dissolving active metal in nitrogenous base to produce a solution of solvated electrons; (3) a condenser for treating gas evolved from the reaction vessel; (4) a decanter to receive slurried reaction products from the reaction vessel and separate the reaction products into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction; and (5) a dissolver for contacting the solid fraction with water to produce a fluid mixture; (B) continuously charging the solvator with nitrogenous base and active metal, and continuously introducing the solution into the reaction vessel; (C) continuously introducing chemical warfare agent into the reaction vessel; (D) continuously recovering nitrogenous base from the evolved gas and introducing the recovered nitrogeneous base into the solvator as makeup; (E) continuously receiving slurried reaction products in the decanter and continuously separating the reaction products into a solid fraction and a liquid fraction; (F) continuously introducing the liquid fraction into to the solvator as makeup; and (G) continuously contacting the solid fraction with water in the dissolver, producing the fluid mixture; whereby the fluid mixture contains less than about 10 percent by weight of the chemical warfare agent introduced into the reaction vessel. 31. The method of Claim 30 in which the reactor system further includes an oxidixer, and the fluid mixture is continuously oxidized in the oxidixer to environmentally benign products. 32. A reactor system for conducting a chemical reaction between an organic compound and a reagent including solvated electrons, the system comprising: a reaction vessel to contain said organic compound in admixture with said solvated electron-containing reagent; a condenser for treating gas evolved from the reaction vessel; a decanter for receiving reaction products from the reaction vessel and separating the reaction products into a liquid fraction and a solid fraction; and a dissolver for receiving the solid fraction and treating it with water, producing a fluid mixture for further disposition. 33. The reactor system of Claim 32 which further comprises a solvator for dissolving active metal in a nitrogenous base to produce said solvated electron-containing reagent. 34. The reaction system of Claim 32, which further comprises an oxidizer to receive the fluid mixture from the dissolver and oxidize the mixture. 35. The reactor system of Claim 32 further comprising an off-gas treatment module for scrubbing gases evolved from the reaction vessel.