Posted on 06/13/2016 3:37:40 PM PDT by BenLurkin
/10/2016 - EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Explosive Ordnance Disposal Airmen from the 812th Civil Engineering Squadron blew up 20 gallons of a hazardous chemical at an on-base range June 6.
The chemical was determined to be a nitrocellulose-dope lacquer, which was found at a drop-off point for hazardous materials waste in Lancaster, California. The city was able to track it back to General William J. Fox Airfield.
"Nitrocellulose-dope lacquer was originally used to harden the flight surfaces of fabric-based aircraft," said Staff Sgt. Christopher Severe, 812th CES, EOD. "We knew from our research that this particular lot could have been used from between 1940 and 1956. We take a worst-case scenario approach so we assumed it was in its most dangerous state from 1940."
Severe said this particular compound has a known issue of spontaneously combusting or igniting if it's set down too hard.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency and DoD, as a general rule the military is responsible for disposing of military munitions found in local areas. Munitions also include chemicals.
Although it is undetermined who the nitrocellulose-dope belonged to, Edwards EOD and Environmental Management had no problem helping out.
"We have a very good working relationship with the local communities. The emergency coordinator for the City of Lancaster contacted us to see if we might be able to help them identify and deal with the nitrocellulose-dope," Severe said.
EOD and Edwards Environmental Management partnered with Lancaster and contractor Worldwide Waste Management to transport the four five-gallon drums of the chemical to base for disposal.
The contractor packed up the nitrocellulose drums early in the morning and transported them with an escort provided by the Lancaster Sheriff's Department. After reaching the outskirts of the south gate, 412th Security Forces Squadron took over the escort duties.
The nitrocellulose was placed at EOD's Open Burn/Open Detention range.
"This is a state-permitted treatment facility we have for doing this kind of disposal," said Severe.
EOD detonated the material with two planned "shots."
"The first detonation was to ensure all of our initial tests and calculations were correct and we would achieve the effect we wanted. This shot contained 250 lbs of C-4 with one five-gallon container of nitrocellulose-dope and a non-electric initiation system. Since the first shot went off perfectly we were able to combine the three remaining containers into one shot. This shot contained 1062.5 lbs of C-4. If you were to convert the second shot to TNT, which is something we do as part of our safety work-up, it would equal about 1,500 lbs of TNT."
EOD initially looked at two methods of disposal for the substance. The first one was to absorb it into a medium like saw dust and then burn it.
"We felt this would be too dangerous of a situation because the expected burn temperature was in excess of 3000 degrees Celsius (5432 degrees Fahrenheit), this would make it a hotter burn than our military AN-M14 thermite grenades. The cleaner solution was to use large amounts of explosives and achieve what we call total consumption. This is where all of the material is consumed in the detonation leaving nothing behind," said Severe.
The operation went according to schedule and planning with all of the nitrocellulose-dope destroyed by 9:30 a.m.
Dope is bad....mkay?
L
That’s a lot of C-4.
Why not use less, and let the dope burn itself out?
The EOD range should be a safe distance from everything.
I think they wanted to have fun, which is OK, too.
[Staff Sgt. Christopher Severe, 812th CES, EOD]
He has the perfect name for that line of work.
pics at the link
Sounds potentially shock sensitive and likely unstable.
Too many safety nazis these days..... take it to the range, one block of C4 under the container, flex linear shape charge around the container to open it, 30 x 1 gallon milk jugs filled with mogas with 20 feet of 40 grain per foot get cord under each surrounding the container 20 feet away from the container, set the C4 and flex linear shape charge off with a 2 millisecond delay in a ring main on the surrounding milk jugs filled with mogas...... container is opened, contents are vaporized, fireball from mogas consumes the material...... check the site for kickouts and go drink a beer...... over thinking / over regulation etc is dangerous in and of itself. But that the burden of EPA sorts getting in the way...... The EOD team did the very careful calculation based on what they had and then multiplied it x 100 to make sure...
Glad I retired when I did.....:o)
But I still miss it.....Stay Safe !
I think this is what I used to use on model airplanes.
Edwards AFB was my last duty station before I separated in 1974. It was actually kind of an interesting place.
“take it to the range, one block of C4 under the container, flex linear shape charge around the container to open it, 30 x 1 gallon milk jugs filled with mogas with 20 feet of 40 grain per foot get cord under each surrounding the container 20 feet away from the container, set the C4 and flex linear shape charge off with a 2 millisecond delay in a ring main on the surrounding milk jugs filled with mogas...... container is opened, contents are vaporized, fireball from mogas consumes the material...... check the site for kickouts and go drink a beer.”
My nipples just got hard....
Wow, all the guitar bodies that could have been finished. : (
Over 1000 pounds of C4 to get rid of only 20 gallons of N/C dope? Sounds like way overkill.
..Over 1000 pounds of C4 to get rid of only 20 gallons of N/C dope? Sounds like way overkill...
Used to live near the Navy EOD school in Florida.
Found out every morning that the EOD boys like to blow up stuff in a big way. Sometimes the blast rattled pictures sideways on the wall. And we were about 4 miles away.
You need to go watch the movie “Range 15” ..... guy named Matt Best aka crazy futhermu*ker stars.....opens June 15th.
All military spec ops, EOD, MOH winners, Capt Kirk and some other hollywood fill here and there......
Thanks!
Their way of having fun.
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