Conduit-clearing pyrotechnic device for remediation of residual explosive contamination
AssigneePlexus Scientific Corporation
InventorsJohn Coughlin, Mark Sylvester
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A device and method for cleaning a sewer line, or other conduit, storage tank, or other vessel, of explosive material deposited in and/or on an inner wall thereof, includes placing a flexible hose containing a non-explosive pyrotechnic composition within the conduit or vessel, and burning the pyrotechnic composition. According to various embodiments, the non-explosive pyrotechnic composition can be a composition that burns, combusts, or deflagrates, at a rate that enables it to be classified as a D.O.T. class 1.4 explosive posing no significant detonation or blast hazard and that can be shipped to various locations using relatively inexpensive shipping means.
Claims24
A conduit-clearing pyrotechnic device, comprising:
- a flexible hose;
- and
- a non-explosive pyrotechnic composition disposed within the flexible hose, the non-explosive pyrotechnic composition comprising a fuel, an oxidizer, and a binder.
A method of decontaminating a sewer line or vessel, comprising:
- placing a non-explosive pyrotechnic material in a sewer line or vessel, wherein the sewer line or vessel comprises an explosive material deposited in, on, or in and on, an inner wall of the sewer line or vessel, the deposited explosive material having a break down temperature;
- and
- burning the non-explosive pyrotechnic material to achieve an inner wall temperature at or in excess of the break down temperature for a period of time sufficient to break down the explosive material.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.