High pressure washout of explosives agents

A method for the removal of explosive agent from explosive agent filled bodies comprising:

• (a) supplying fluid from a fluid supply means;
• (b) pressurizing the fluid to ultra-high pressures using a pressurizing means which pressurizes the fluid to more than about 40,000 psi;
• (c) chilling the fluid by use of a chilling means to a temperature at least below the melting point of the explosive agent to be removed;
• (d) inserting a directing means into the explosive agent filled body along a rotational axis of symmetry of the body;
• (e) rotating either the directing means or the body about the rotational axis of symmetry of the body along which the directing means was inserted;
• (f) projecting the fluid onto the explosive agent contained in the explosive agent filled body using the directing means whereby the explosive agent is removed from the interior of the body;
• the directing means having a hollow lance, a nozzle and a plurality of orifices through which the fluid is projected, each of the plurality of orifices having a diameter in the range of about 0.001" to about 0.020";
• and
• (g) stripping the directing means of removed explosive agent accumulated thereon using a stripper means in which a plurality of washer nozzles project a fluid onto the outer surface of the directing means at a pressure high enough so as to remove accumulated explosive agent from the outer surface of the directing means.

A method for the removal of explosive agent from explosive agent filled bodies comprising:

• (a) supplying fluid from a fluid supply means;
• (b) pressurizing the fluid to ultra-high pressures using a pressurizing means which pressurizes the fluid to above about 40,000 psi;
• (c) chilling the fluid by use of a chilling means to a temperature below the melting point of the explosive agent to be removed;
• (d) inserting a directing means into the explosive agent filled body along a rotational axis of symmetry of the body;
• (e) rotating either the directing means or the body about the rotational axis of symmetry of the body along which the directing means is inserted, the directing means comprised of a hollow lance, nozzle and a plurality of orifices, the nozzle being attached to one end of the hollow lance such that fluid passing through the interior of the hollow lance may pass into the interior of the nozzle, the nozzle having an end face and sides into which the orifices are fixed, such that the fluid at the interior of the nozzle may pass through the orifices to the exterior of the nozzle, each of the plurality of orifices having a diameter from about 0.001" to about 0.020";
• (f) projecting the fluid onto the explosive agent contained in the explosive agent filled body using the directing means whereby the explosive agent is removed from the interior of the body,
• (g) stripping the hollow lance of removed explosive agent accumulated thereon using a lance stripper means in which a plurality of lance washer nozzles project a fluid onto the outer surface of the hollow lance at a pressure high enough so as to remove accumulated explosive agent from the outer surface of the hollow lance;
• (h) collecting and channeling away removed explosive agent and used fluid using a used fluid collection means having an enclosure to contain and collect used washout fluid and removed explosive agent, an inlet to allow used washout fluid and removed explosive agent to enter the enclosure, and an outlet to allow used washout fluid and removed explosive agent to be channeled away from the washout area;
• and
• (i) reducing the size of particles of removed explosive agent using a particle reduction screen located at the interior of the fluid collection means;
• the stream of fluid passing through one or more of the plurality of orifices causing removed explosive agent to impact the particle reduction screen such that particles smaller than the openings in the screen pass through the screen, and removed particles larger than the openings in the screen are reduced in size until the particles are small enough to pass though the screen.