Reclaiming TNT and aluminum from tritonal and tritonal-containing munitions
OwnerWilliam J. Taylor, Duane A. Goetschinventors
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Abstract
A process for the recovery of TNT and aluminum from tritonal-containing military shells. The process uses a solvent in which the TNT is substantially soluble, but not the aluminum. This results in a liquid organic solvent phase and a solid aluminum particle phase. The aluminum particles are recovered by conventional solid-liquid separation techniques, such as filtering, gravity settling, and the like. The TNT is recovered from the solvent by flashing or evaporating the solvent and recrystallizing the TNT.
Claims8
A process for separately recovering TNT and aluminum particles from an explosive containing aluminum particles in a TNT matrix, which process comprises;
- a) treating the explosive with a solvent in which said TNT is substantially soluble and in which said aluminum particles are substantially insoluble, thereby resulting in a slurry of aluminum particles in TNT/solvent solution;
- b) separating said aluminum particles from said TNT/solvent solution;
- and
- c) recovering said TNT from said solvent.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.