Description
Nowadays, EU member states face a major problem of demilitarizing their increasing stocks of expired ammunition. Current Demil Industry principally manages the expired ammunition by burning it. Around 1.000 tons of this explosive are burnt every year in Europe (approximately 3.000 tons worldwide), with subsequent environmental problem derived from the high amount of combustion gases generated in the process. EXPAL SYSTEMS propose in this project to develop a new technology for demilitarization of plastic-bonded explosives by making use of novel cryogenic grinding techniques, allowing the recovery and valorization of the waste generated in the process for the production of new initiation systems (boosters) for civilian industry in an economically and environmentally sustainable way. This innovative process will also decrease the European importation needs of civil explosive materials. To sum up, the CRIO project will allow for the development of a technically, economically and environmentally feasible technique capable of recovering and recycling the energetic materials of bulk plastic explosives used for demolition (C4, PG2) for civilian purposes.
Summary of project results
Until now the method for demilitarizing wax-desensitised ammunition has been to burn the explosive ammunition. The project recognized the potential for an alternative solution, one that is based on plastic explosives, giving an output for energetic material by recycling it for devices meant for civilian applications. The project objective was to apply Cryo-Grinding technology for recycling disposed ammunition. Through this method, it is possible to recycle plastic-based explosives by freezing and grinding it to powder particles, which can then be used in production of boosters for civilian industry. This eliminates the need for incineration of energetic material (lowering the environmental impact) and thus reduces the use of fresh explosives when manufacturing devices for civil purposes. The main outputs of the project are: -A system to demilitarize plastic-explosive ammunition -Recycled explosives for civilian use -Project for a mobile plant to demilitarize in-situ plastic-explosive ammunition With the feasibility tests complete, along with developed processes and technologies and small-scale pilot plants, Expal is now at a stage of industrialization, applying the technology to large-scale plants that allow recycling of ammunition and explosives in conditions entrepreneurially acceptable, meeting safety and environmental requirements. As a future activity, combining the results of this project, Expal is studying the implementation of a mobile unit of demilitarization, for which it is first necessary to progress in the industrialization phase and have defined the requirements for big scale of each of the processes required.
Summary of bilateral results