Lien H Nguyen

US Patent:

54096170, Apr 25, 1995

Filed:

Jul 13, 1993

Appl. No.:

8/091617

Inventors:

David S. Ross - Palo Alto CA
Indira Jayaweera - Fremont CA
Lien Nguyen - San Jose CA
Georgina P. Hum - Menlo Park CA
Werner R. Haag - San Jose CA

Assignee:

SRI International - Menlo Park CA

International Classification:

C02F 102
C02F 172

US Classification:

210762

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a process for the disposal of waste or the conversion of hydrothermally labile chemical groups and compounds to species which are environmentally acceptable, or are amendable to further degradation by conventional disposal systems to produce environmentally acceptable products, which process comprises: (a) conveying an aqueous solution or slurry of ordnance waste material into a reaction zone capable of withstanding the temperatures and pressures of hydrothermal decomposition; (b) reacting the waste material in the reaction zone with an aqueous composition comprising one or more alkali or alkaline earth metal silicates, borates, phosphates, biphosphates, or trisubstituted-phosphates, at between 200. degree. C. and 500. degree. C. and at a pressure between 10 and 400 atmospheres for between about 0. 01 and 10 minutes; (c) producing compounds which are environmentally acceptable or are amenable to further degradation by conventional disposal systems; and (d) optionally degrading further the compounds of step (e) by reaction in a conventional disposal system.