# US 5,711,017 A · Process for the destruction of chemical agents and munitions

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- Number: US 5,711,017 A
- Document ID: US5711017A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 08/715,486
- Filed: 1996-09-18
- Granted: 1998-01-20
- Earliest claimed: 1996-09-18
- Assignees: Exide Corporation
- Inventors: John A. Bitler; John P. Baranski; Harold R. Larson
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5711017A

## CPC

- A62D 3/19: to plasma
- A62D 2101/02: Chemical warfare substances, e.g. cholinesterase inhibitors
- A62D 2101/22: containing halogen
- A62D 2101/26: containing nitrogen or phosphorus
- A62D 2101/28: containing oxygen, sulfur, selenium or tellurium, i.e. chalcogen
- A62D 2203/10: Apparatus specially adapted for treating harmful chemical agents; Details thereof
- A62D: CHEMICAL MEANS FOR EXTINGUISHING FIRES OR FOR COMBATING OR PROTECTING AGAINST HARMFUL CHEMICAL AGENTS; CHEMICAL MATERIALS FOR USE IN BREATHING APPARATUS

## Abstract

Chemical agents, such as chemical munitions, are decomposed by bringing them into contact with a plasma arc of a DC plasma arc furnace operated at a temperature of greater than about 30,000.degree. F.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A process for destroying chemical agents comprising forming a plasma arc in a DC plasma arc furnace between a terminal end of a hollow electrode and an electrically conductive heel, and introducing a chemical agent into the hollow of the electrode so that the chemical agent is brought into contact with, and destroyed by, the plasma arc at the electrode's terminal end thereof.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1, wherein said chemical agent is a chemical munition.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1, wherein said plasma arc is at a temperature of greater than about 30,000.degree. F.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A process as in claim 1, which includes forming a molten slag in an annular zone surrounding said plasma arc.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

A process as in claim 2, wherein the chemical munition is one selected from the group consisting of agents VX, HB and HD.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1, 5)

A process as in claim 1 or 5, wherein the chemical agent is decomposed in to monatomic or diatomic molecules.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

A process as in claim 6, wherein the chemical agent is decomposed into a gaseous mixture containing at least two or more of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and phosphorus pentoxide.

### Claim 8

A process for the destruction of chemical munitions comprising bringing said chemical munitions into contact with a plasma arc of a DC plasma arc furnace operated at a temperature greater than about 30,000.degree. F.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

A process as in claim 8, wherein the chemical munition is one selected from the group consisting of agents VX, HB and HD.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

A process as in claim 9, wherein the chemical agent is decomposed in to monatomic or diatomic molecules.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

A process as in claim 10, wherein the chemical agent is decomposed into a gaseous mixture containing at least two or more of hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen chloride, hydrogen fluoride and phosphorus pentoxide.