EP0583326B1 - Plant for incinerating explosive substances - Google Patents

Abstract

A plant for incerating explosive substances has an incineration reactor (1) and a conveyor device (11) with a plurality of incineration trays (16) which travels, preferably circulates, inside and outside the reactor. The incineration trays (16) are charged outside the incineration reactor (1) with the explosive substances to be burned, conveyed into the reactor to an ignition device (burner (22)) for igniting the explosive substances and conveyed further inside the reactor, together with the explosive substances being burned, and finally emerge from the reactor when combustion is complete. The emission from the incineration of explosive substances can be substantially reduced under conditions of complete personal safety by installing the incineration reactor (1) inside a shatterproof, explosion-proof tunnel (2).

Description

The present invention relates to a plant for burning off explosives, with a burn-up reactor, with a cleaning device downstream of the burn-up reactor for the reaction products formed during the burn-up, and with a conveyor device running inside and outside the reactor with a multiplicity of burn-off carriers which loaded with the explosives outside the reactor, then transported through an entrance area into the reactor to an ignition device for the explosives and from there through a burning area inside the reactor and then leaving the reactor again through an exit area.

Such systems are known and are used for the disposal of objects with explosive or explosive substances, e.g. Ammunition, missiles, pyrotechnic kits, etc., especially from the military sector. The reasons for disposal lie either in the fact that the objects mentioned have reached a certain age, from which the guaranteed properties guaranteed in the manufacture of the explosive or explosive substances and required for their use can no longer be guaranteed, or because, for example, weapon systems have further developed and the ammunition already produced and stored for these weapon systems can no longer be used for their intended use.

In the following, the explosive or explosive substances mentioned are referred to as "explosives". These are generally understood to mean solid, liquid and gelatinous substances and mixtures of substances which are produced for the purpose of blowing up or blowing up. However, in the present case, the term explosives also includes those substances that have not been produced for the purpose of detonating or shooting, for example, organic peroxides as catalysts, gas release agents for today's foam and plastic technology, some pesticides and much more

This includes e.g. also the generally known mixture "Thermit", which is understood to mean mixtures of aluminum and iron oxide, which convert to aluminum oxide and iron with strong heat development. This heat development is used, for example, for rail welding.

Explosives can be present in the form of bulk goods of any grain size, buildup, in the form of bodies with defined dimensions (e.g. compacts) or as filler in hollow bodies. The list in Rudolf Meyer "Explosivstoffe", 6th edition, page 127 ff. Can serve as a guide for the substance groups to be understood under the term "explosives".

Due to the uncertainties associated with their handling for personnel and surrounding material, explosives are disposed of worldwide by so-called burning or by explosion of those substances. The term "burning off" is used because practically all explosives which are present in large quantities continue to react after the chemical decomposition reactions have been initiated without the addition of a further reaction partner, in particular without the atmospheric oxygen which is otherwise customary in the case of "combustion". While the burning off of explosives is aimed at the relatively slow "deflagration" of the explosives at a burning rate of less than 100 m per second, an explosive detonation is usually one with a relatively high burning rate of 1000 to 9000 m per second and "Detonation" of the explosives accompanied by a shock wave. Both terms, deflagration and detonation are also summarized below under the term "explosion".

GB-A 1 376 763 describes a device with which objects are connected or hardened by means of an explosion. It is proposed to design the device in the form of a container made of metal, in which the blasting manufacture or processing takes place, and to cover it with earth and / or concrete. This is intended to protect the environment in particular from the noise that occurs, but also from other consequences of the explosions. This known device is neither designed for burning off explosives nor for continuous operation. Devices to ensure emission protection are not provided in this previously known device.

Buildings covered by the ground are also known from the accident prevention regulation 55a "Explosives and objects with explosives - General regulation". Special measures for emission protection are not mentioned here either.

The known systems for burning off explosives mentioned at the outset provide - mostly - in a traditionally known manner completely in the open, or else - such as that in EP-A-0 349 865 (corresponds to DE-OS 38 22 648 ) described system - in a security building, which receives the character of an open fire place due to its construction with a partially open discharge wall. Personal security is at the known systems of the first type guaranteed by simple earth protection walls, which surround the burning line or at least shield in the direction of personnel present, or in a system according to EP-A-0 349 865 by a fixed wall of a security building, for example, the burning area of the Separates the loading area.

The disadvantage of the known systems for burning off explosives of the type mentioned at the outset is, in particular, that personal safety is guaranteed, however, due to the open or - in the case of EP-A-0 349 865 - partially open construction, emission reduction is not possible at all or only insufficiently takes place. In their decay reaction, explosives react to a large extent to gaseous reaction products or also to solid substances which are contained in the resulting gaseous substances as combustion residues (ashes) and / or as aerosols. These substances are either not at all or only insufficiently collected in the known systems of the type mentioned at the outset, since the prerequisite for such a detection of the released pollutants, namely a closed room with a corresponding collecting device due to the dangers associated with such a closed room an (unwanted) detonation of the explosives seems impossible according to the previously available specialist knowledge.

It is the object of the present invention to design a plant for burning off explosives of the type mentioned at the outset in such a way that essentially complete emission protection is ensured while at the same time maintaining full personal safety. This task is the responsibility of the fourth federal immission control ordinance (4th BImSchV), the explosive destruction guidelines of the professional association of the chemical industry as well as the accident prevention regulation "46a explosives and objects with explosives - general regulation - (VBG 55a)" Based on regulations.

This object is achieved according to the invention in a system for burning off explosives of the type mentioned at the outset in that the burning reactor has a substantially closed body and the entrance area and the exit area of the burning reactor each have a passage for the means of conveyance into the burning area -Reactor on or have emerging Abbrandträger, and that the burn-up reactor is arranged entirely within a substantially splinter and explosion-proof and accessible at two ends tunnel.

The advantages of this invention are, in particular, that the combustion reactor and the splinter and explosion-proof tunnel form a closed combustion system in which the gaseous components of the reaction products formed during the combustion are collected and released into the ambient air after reduction of the pollutants and the liquid and / or solid reaction products are processed into environmentally compatible materials that can be landfilled, while at the same time a personal safety that complies with the legal regulations is guaranteed when the combustion is carried out. It is particularly advantageous here that the requirements of the 17th BImSchV and the emission limit values of the TA-Luft can be complied with while at the same time ensuring personal safety in accordance with the statutory and professional association regulations.

Preferred developments of the invention are specified in the subclaims.

For example, the tunnel is preferably formed from a pipe and a sand covering of the pipe, a further development which primarily concerns personal safety in the event of an (unwanted) detonation of the explosive when it burns. In the case of such a detonation, the burn-off reactor - starting from the detonation source - is broken down into fragments which penetrate the tunnel tube at a very high speed before the detonation shock wave and, depending on the intensity of the detonation, also break it down. The sand covering surrounding the tunnel pipe has two tasks: on the one hand, the sand covering serves to collect the splinters of the burning reactor and, if necessary, the splinters of the tunnel pipe. On the other hand, the sand cover will collapse and cover the source of the burn if the tunnel tube also disassembles. Due to the sand covering and encompassing the tunnel tube, on the one hand an extremely flexible, since not rigidly insulating, and on the other hand, an extremely safe and effective protective jacket that simultaneously extinguishes a fire that arises during the detonation is formed.

A construction of the tunnel tube that is as easy to implement as possible is provided by a further development, according to which the tube is preferably composed of oval steel tube profiles. The advantages of this oval shape are, in particular, that these profiles are generally commercially available and that walk-through inspection passages are formed on the two long sides of the burn-up reactor.

Two further preferred developments relate to the design of the burn-up reactor. According to one, it is provided that it has a substantially rectangular shape, elongated in the direction of transport of the conveyor, and according to the other preferred development it is provided that the fuselage of the burning reactor consists of metal profiles. In particular with the construction of metal profiles, it is advantageous that when the explosives detonate, they break down into defined fragments in a relatively defined manner, which require less sand covering for braking than would be required with a heavier construction of the combustion reactor. In principle, however, the fuselage of the burn-up reactor can be made from profiles of other materials, e.g. Plastic. Another advantage of the construction of metal profiles is that the burn-up reactor can thus be prefabricated inexpensively outside the tunnel tube and built inside the tunnel tube.

The inside walls of the fuselage reactor are preferably lined with temperature-resistant fiber material. The fiber material primarily serves to collect the very large temperature difference that occurs when explosives are burned off in the burning reactor. The temperature in the combustion reactor rises - starting from the combustion source - in its surroundings and especially above the combustion range within a few seconds to 2000 to 3000 ° C, since the chemical decomposition reaction of explosives is a highly exothermic process acts. The temperature-resistant fiber material is arranged to intercept the heat radiation which arises and in particular to keep it away from the metal profiles of the burn-up reactor. Rock wool is preferably used here.

The burn-off reactor preferably has an air suction device with at least one feed nozzle arranged in the inlet area of the burn-up reactor and at least one suction nozzle arranged in the outlet area.

According to a further advantageous development, the entrance area is separated from the burning area by a lockable blind, the slats of which are in particular individually, i.e. are independently adjustable. The venetian blind achieves several important advantages in connection with the air flow passing through the burn-up reactor: On the one hand, the venetian blind can be used to set an advantageous direction of flow through the burn-up reactor, which should be designed so that the fresh air supplied is on the one hand as quick as possible mixed with the resulting hot exhaust gases and thereby cooling the exhaust gases and oxidizing the reaction products which have not yet been completely burnt, but on the other hand avoiding whirling up of the explosives located in the combustion carriers. Because the fins can be adjusted independently of one another, the level of the main air flow through the burning reactor can be varied from an upper region to a middle region to a lower region. Finally, a certain vacuum can be set in the burn-up reactor with the help of the blind at a certain volume flow. This negative pressure ensures that the gaseous reaction products only leave the burn-off reactor via the air suction device. This results in the economically significant advantage that the burn-up reactor may generally be leaky, which enables less expensive production.

The entrance area and the exit area each have a passage for those entering or leaving the combustion reactor by means of the conveying device Abbrandträger, these passages are designed according to a development such that they are sealed off essentially airtight by the Abbrandträger passing in the transport direction. These measures thus have an advantageous effect on the generation of a continuous and controllable air flow from the input area via the burn-off area to the output area of the burn-off reactor.

Furthermore, it is advantageously provided that a spark flap is arranged in the area of the transition from the entrance area to the burning area at the end of the entrance passage. This is preferably designed to be rebound-damped and prevents sparks from being transported from the explosives currently burning in the burning area to the explosives still located on the burning supports in the area of the entrance passage.

A particularly preferred embodiment of the conveying device and the associated plurality of erosion carriers is that the erosion carriers are designed as mobile carriages which have a trough for receiving the explosives to be burned off. Thus, the erosion carriers can be designed in the manner of "lorries" which - in accordance with a preferred development of the invention which has already been explained above - the entrance or exit passages during their passage essentially, i.e. Seal airtight except for a defined residual air flow. This residual air flow passes through the undercarriage area of the combustion carrier into the combustion reactor and, on the one hand, cools the troughs containing the explosives and, on the other hand, cleans the roadway on which the combustion carriers roll through the combustion reactor.

The sand covering covering the tunnel tube is preferably supported laterally by solid walls, one of these fixed walls being separated from a loading area parallel to the tunnel for loading the erosion carriers with explosives. The conveyor device can thus include a rotating rail for the mobile wagons, which runs through the loading area, leads to the burn-up reactor and subsequently reconnects the end of the exit passage with the loading area.

To increase the emission protection, it is preferably provided that a cleaning device for the gaseous reaction products formed during the burning is connected downstream of the burning reactor or the suction port of the air suction device. The cleaning device particularly preferably contains washing stages which separate the pollutants occurring in all aggregate states from the exhaust gas.

For the pollutants which are not or only incompletely eliminated by the washing stages, the cleaning device can also contain thermal pollutant reduction stages or, alternatively or cumulatively, biological pollutant reduction stages.

Fig. 1

einen Querschnitt durch den im wesentlichen splitter- und explosionsfesten Tunnel mit darin angeordneten Abbrenn-Reaktor;

Fig. 2

einen schematischen Grundriß des Tunnels mit Sandüberdeckung;

Fig. 3

einen Querschnitt durch den Abbrenn-Reaktor in Höhe der Anzündvorrichtung;

Fig. 4

einen Querschnitt des Abbrenn-Reaktors mit in Transportrichtung durchlaufenden Abbrandträgern, und

Fig. 5

einen schematischen Seitenriß des Tunnels gemäß Fig. 2.

A preferred exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to a drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a cross section through the essentially splinter and explosion-proof tunnel with a burning reactor arranged therein;

Fig. 2

a schematic floor plan of the tunnel with sand cover;

Fig. 3

a cross section through the burning reactor at the level of the igniter;

Fig. 4

a cross-section of the burn-up reactor with burn-up carriers passing through in the transport direction, and

Fig. 5

3 shows a schematic side elevation of the tunnel according to FIG. 2.

Figure 1 shows a burn-off reactor 1 of a plant for burning off explosives, which is arranged within an essentially splinter and explosion-proof tunnel 2. This tunnel 2 consists of an oval tubular steel profile Compound tube 4 and a tube cover 4 covering the sand 4, which in turn is supported laterally by solid walls 12, 13 and is covered by an upper cover 25. The burn-up reactor 1 stands inside the tunnel pipe 4 on a concrete floor 23 and has a height of approximately 3 m, while the tunnel pipe 4 above the concrete floor 23 has a clear height of approximately 4 m. Arranged parallel to the tunnel 2 is a charging area 14 for charging burn-off carriers 16 with explosives to be burned off, which is separated from the tunnel 2 by a fixed wall 13. The tunnel tube 4, the sand cover 6 and the fixed wall 13 ensure the personal safety required when operating a plant for burning off explosives. The processes taking place in this regard in the event of an (unwanted) detonation of the explosives which are actually to be burned off will be explained below.

The loading area 14 is connected by means of a conveyor 11 (only partially shown in this figure) to the tunnel 2 or the combustion reactor 1 arranged therein and forms an endless transport route, in particular oval, on which the combustion carriers 16 belonging to the conveyor 11 emulate The feed area 14 first passes through the input area 3 of the burn-up reactor 1, then through the burn-off area 7 and then through the output area 5 of the burn-off reactor 1 and is then fed back to the feed area 14 (FIGS. 2, 4). The reactor 1 has a substantially rectangular shape which is elongated in the transport direction of the conveying device 11 (FIG. 4) and the body of the reactor 1 is constructed from metal profiles 8. The fuselage inner walls of the combustion reactor 1 are lined with rock wool 10 to protect the metal profiles 8 against the very high temperatures (up to 3000 ° C.) that occur when explosives are burned off. In the course of the transport direction, the burn-off reactor 1 also has an inlet 26, the inlet area 3 already mentioned above, the burn-off area 7 and also the outlet area 5 and an outlet 27 (FIG. 4). The burn-up reactor 1 rests on the concrete floor 23 within the tunnel tube 4.

Fig. 2 and Fig. 5 show a plan and a side view of the tunnel 2 with the sand cover 6, wherein the burn-up reactor 1 is not shown here. The illustration shows the essentially rectangular and elongated shape of the tunnel 2 as a whole. The input area 3, the burn-off area 7 and the output area 5 of the burn-off reactor 1, not shown, are indicated by the reference numerals in brackets.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of the burn-up reactor 1, enlarged compared to FIG. 1, at the level of an ignition device. A combustion carrier in the form of a mobile carriage 16 is shown within the combustion reactor 1 and has a chassis 15 which can be moved on wheels 28 and a trough 21 arranged thereon for receiving the explosives to be burned off. A partition 24 can also be seen behind the tub 21, which is arranged vertically behind the tub 21 on the chassis 15 of the cart when looking in the transport direction of the cart 16. A burner 22 of the igniter, by means of which the explosives are ignited, are arranged to the right and left of the carriage 16. On their way through the combustion reactor 1, the combustion carriers or carriages 16 are guided by a guide device 29 belonging to the conveying device 11 and corresponding guide rails 33, or else are driven by these components. Above the carriage 16, a suction nozzle 19 of an air suction device, which is arranged in the exit region 5 of the burning reactor 1, can be seen, the function of which will be explained in more detail with reference to FIG. 4.

FIG. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the burn-up reactor 1, which is traversed by a large number of burn-up carriers or carriages 16, which have already been described above and which carry the explosives to be burned off from the charging area 14 to the burn-up reactor 1 or the residues generated during the burn-up Transport out for further disposal. The wagons 16 loaded with explosives move through the entrance passage 9 of the entrance area 3 into the burning reactor 1 and are fed to the burning area 7 one after the other. There is the igniter with those provided on both sides Burners 22 arranged where the ignition of the explosive takes place in the trough 21 of the car 16 concerned. In order to prevent sparks from spreading to the subsequent wagons 16 still loaded with explosives, a spark flap 17 is arranged in the area of the transition from the entrance area 3 to the burning area 7 at the end of the entrance passage 9, which is damped to prevent further spark formation. This spark flap 17, in cooperation with the partition 24 of the following carriage 16, closes the entrance passage 9 largely airtight. Only a small amount of fresh air is directed in the direction of arrows 30 below the carriage 16 through the entrance passage 9 into the combustion area 7 and serves on the one hand to cool the combustion carrier from below and also forms an upward air flow in the combustion reactor, which prevents explosives or their reaction products from falling onto the road. In particular, further air flaps can be provided in the side walls of the burning reactor 1, which allow the temperature of the air flow to be regulated.

The carriages 16 are slowly transported from the position of the burner 22 in the direction of transport with the burning explosives, so that the explosives are burnt completely within the burning reactor 1. The duration of such a burn is on average in the range of seconds to minutes. After the end of the burn-up, the carriages 16 leave the burn-up reactor 1 through the exit passage 9 'belonging to the exit area, which - like the entrance passage 9 - is sealed off essentially airtight by the construction of the carriages 16 (in particular partition wall 24). Similar to the entrance passage 9, only a small but wanted portion of fresh air reaches the burning area 7 in the direction of the arrows 31 through the exit passage 9 '.

The above-mentioned air suction device of the burning reactor 1 contains in the input area 3 of the reactor 1 supply ports 18 arranged on both sides (of which the intake grille of the one supply port is shown here) and a suction port arranged centrally in the output area 5 of the reactor 1 19. This suction connection 19 is followed - not shown here - by a cleaning device for the reaction products formed during the combustion. On the one hand, this cleaning device contains washing stages for the elimination of the pollutants occurring in all aggregate states from the exhaust gas and, alternatively or cumulatively, thermal or biological pollutant reduction stages.

The air sucked in through the feed pipe 18 and sucked out through the suction pipe 19 in the direction of the arrows 32 has essentially three functions. On the one hand, it ensures the quantitative transport of the gaseous reaction products and the aerosols contained therein into the scrubbing stage for flue gas scrubbing. On the other hand, the air is required to limit the inlet temperature in the washing stage, which preferably contains a venturi scrubber, to a maximum value of approximately 300 ° C. This is particularly important, particularly in view of the background already described at the beginning in connection with the lining of the burning reactor 1, that the explosives burn off at temperatures of up to 3000 ° C. The third function of the air sucked in or out within the reactor 1 is that it should set oxidizing conditions within the burn-up reactor 1 so that the proportion of non-oxidized substances which arise during the burn-up is kept as low as possible. This air thus serves to supplement the combustion by residual combustion of the inadequately or insufficiently oxidized substances and thus an increase in emissions reduction.

The air flow (arrows 32) directed from the feed connector 18 to the suction connector 19 can be adjusted to a defined value in the flow direction and air volume by the adjustable blind 20, which can be locked with respect to its slat position.

The washing stages of the cleaning device can also include one or more wet washers in addition to the venturi washer already mentioned. While the venturi scrubber has the task of reducing the exhaust gases, which are around 300 ° C, to a cooling limit temperature to cool and separate most of the aerosols, such as soot, metal compounds, phosphorus pentoxide, etc. (depending on the exhaust gas composition, other pollutants such as HCL, HF and, due to the then low pH value, also alkaline pollutants such as eg ammonia, separated).

One of the wet scrubbers can be provided for the acidic portions of the exhaust gases (in particular HCL, HF and NH ₃ ) and one for the basic portions of the exhaust gases. While the acid scrubber is designed as a spray scrubber in the countercurrent principle, the basic scrubber works in the cocurrent principle at a pH of approx. 9. Weaker acids such as SO ₂ , H ₂ S and HCN are absorbed in the basic scrubber.

The protective function of the combustion system to maintain personal safety in the event of an (unwanted) detonation of the explosive is described below with reference to FIG. 1. In the event of a detonation, the burn-up reactor 1 is broken down into fragments which fly through the tunnel steel tube 4 at a very high speed and, if appropriate, also break it down. The splinters of the burn-up reactor 1 and the tunnel steel tube 4 are caught by the sand cover 6, the sand cover 6 covering the detonation hearth when the tunnel steel tube 4 is dismantled and extinguishing a fire to be expected with the sand.

The above-described plant for burning off explosives makes a significant contribution to environmentally friendly emission reduction with simultaneous full maintenance of personal safety at a processing volume of 1000 to 1500 kg per hour. In particular, the expected contaminants hydrogen chloride, phosphorus, sulfur oxides, hydrocyanic acid and nitrogen oxides are bound and disposed of in the system described. However, the design of the system basically enables the disposal of all accruing pollutants for which cleaning systems or methods are or will be economically and technically feasible in the future or in the future. The presented combustion system enables all of them to be connected Cleaning devices without changing the core of the combustion plant, namely the combustion reactor 1 arranged within the essentially splinter and explosion-proof tunnel 2.

Claims (11)

1. An installation for the deflagration of explosives, comprising a deflagration reactor (1) and a scrubbing means for the reaction products resulting from the deflagration, being connected downstream of the deflagration reactor (1), and a conveyor means (11) extending inside and outside the reactor (1) and including a plurality of carrier means (16) which are loaded with the explosives outside of the reactor (1), then transported through an entry zone (3) into the reactor to an ignition device (22) for the explosives and on from the same through a deflagration zone (7) inside the reactor, to leave the reactor thereafter again through an exit zone (5), characterized in that the deflagration reactor (1) comprises an essentially closed body and in that the entry zone (3) and the exit zone (5) of the deflagration reactor (1) each have a passage (9, 9') for the carrier means (16) entering or leaving the deflagration reactor (1) by the conveyor means (11), and in that the deflagration reactor (1) is completely arranged inside a tunnel (2) which is substantially splinter- and explosion-proof and accessible at two ends.
2. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the tunnel (2) is formed by a tube (4) and a sand cover (6) of the tube (4).
3. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the sand cover (6) is supported laterally by solid walls (12, 13).
4. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, characterized in that the body of the deflagration reactor (1) consists of metal sections (8) and in that its inner walls are lined with temperature-proof fibrous material (10).
5. The installation for deflagration as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the deflagration reactor (1) comprises an air suction means having at least one supply connection (18) in an entry zone (3) of the deflagration reactor (1) and at least one suck-off connection (19) in the exit zone (5).
6. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 5 characterized in that the entry zone (3) is separated from the deflagration zone (7) by a lockable shutter (20) comprising adjustable louvers.
7. The installation for deflagration as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the passages (9, 9') are closed in substantially air-tight manner in the direction of transportation by the carrier means (16) moving through.
8. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a spark flap (17) is disposed at the transition from the entry zone (3) to the deflagration zone (7).
9. The installation for deflagration as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the scrubbing means includes washing stages which separate the noxious components produced in all states of aggregation from the exhaust gas.
10. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the scrubbing means includes thermal reducing stages for noxious components.
11. The installation for deflagration as claimed in claim 9, characterized in that the scrubbing means includes biological reducing stages for noxious components.

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