USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Jerry S Salan

Michael A Lateulere

John R Luense

Jim R Griffenhagen

John E Brough

Wendell R Lee

An improved system and method for using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a processing fluid additive for safely and effectively treating water-wet hogout propellant as well as any other water-wet propellants, explosives and hazardous wastes (solids and liquids) to make them compatible with the MSO process. The method includes the step of applying liquid PEG to the hazardous waste to create a slurry or feedstock that when fed directly into the MSO reactor vessel prevents the occurrence of smelt-water explosions due to the accumulation of dangerous levels of sodium chloride, and/or sodium sulfide in the molten salt bath. The PEG possesses special qualities that make it ideal for this purpose. It is a low cost, low viscosity, commercially available, non-hazardous (per OSHA standards), water soluble, low toxicity chemical that burns cleanly leaving little or no residue.

System for treating wastes using molten salt oxidation

Glycols as an adjuvant in treating wastes using the Molten Salt Oxidation process

An apparatus and method for selectively draining melt material, such as molten salt, utilizes an unobstructed drain conduit detachably connected, as by screw threads, to a vessel containing the material. Two heaters are utilized for the conduit, a drain heater at the vessel and a plugging heater spaced from the vessel. The conduit is placed at the plugging heater and partially filled with a predetermined quantity of plugging material in flowable form. The plugging material is, typically, the same salt in particulate form and is retained in the conduit by any suitable closure. The plugging heater is energized to melt the plugging material and is then de-energized so that a solid plug of this material forms in the conduit. The conduit, including the plug, is removed from the closure and the plugging heater and is connected to the vessel when the drain heater is de-energized and when the vessel does not contain molten melt material, as when the vessel is empty or this material is solidified. The molten material is then established in the vessel with limited heat transfer to the conduit so that the plug does not melt. When the melt material is to be drained, the drain heater is energized to heat the conduit and melt the plug so that the melt material drains through the conduit. When the conduit is suitably configured, such a quantity of the melt material may remain in the conduit to form another plug when the drain heater is de-energized.

Meltable and reclosable drain plug for molten salt reactor

Growing community of inventors

Hughesville, MD, United States of America

Jerry S Salan