ERS's team was faced with two serious problems by this decision, how to safeguard personnel and how to control the blast if it detonated in transit. First, Response Directors Moore and Haywood, with team members Riley, Staggs, Kirby, Briggs and Keck, designed and built a remote system. This system can selectively operate numerous valves, add chemicals, purge, flare and monitor reactions. Second, for blast protection during transport, ERS had the largest mobile blast suppression vessel in the US, designed and built in 10 days. It stands 10 feet tall and eight feet in diameter with a six foot inner chamber, all of 2-inch thick cold rolled steel.
Sand fills all voids.
The vessel is rated for 100 pounds of high explosive. HOW THE JOB WAS RUN Nearly the entire operation was to be performed remotely except for moving the cylinder 100 feet from the cold room to the blast vessel outside. This would be the most intense phase. Since the cylinder would be exposed briefly to dangerous summertime heat, it would be packed in ice once outside. Warning of a reaction, potentially leading to explosion, would be provided by a thermocouple attached to the cylinder.