TM 5-814-8
Table 3-13. Typical munitions metal parts
(g) Lead azide (PbN6). Lead azide is manu-
waste water characteristics
f a c t u r e d by treating sodium azide with lead
(mg/L unless noted otherwise)
acetate or nitrate. Sodium azide is formed from
Parameter
Maximum
Average
sodium amide and nitrous oxide. Lead azide is
120
65
Temperature (degree F)
used where it is desired to produce, either from
9.2
3.3
pH (units)
flame or from impact, an initiatory shock for the
370
0
Alkalinity (as CaCO3)
detonation of a high explosive such as found in
5,000
Total Solids
650
compound detonators and in the detonators of
725
Suspended Solids
27
18
artillery fuzes. The commercial preparation of the
Zinc
7
32
Copper
0.6
azides is carried out either by the interaction of
--
less than 0.2
Lead
hydrazine with a nitrite or by the interaction of
21
less than 3.0
Iron
sodium amide with nitrous oxide.
168
0
Oil
(h) Lead styphnate (PbC6H 02( N 02)3). Lead
(j) Loading, assembling and packing (LAP).
styphanate is commonly prepared by adding a
solution of magnesium styphnate to a well-stirred
and melting operations, cartridge and shell-filling
solution of lead acetate at 158 degrees F. Dilute
operations and shell-renovation. Figure 3-3 is a
nitric acid is added with stirring to convert the
basic to the normal salt, and the stirring is
schematic of a typical shell-filling and renovating
continued while the temperature drops to about
facility showing major waste flows. Wastewater is
86 degrees F. The product consists of reddish-
generated from the four following sources:
brown, short, rhombic crystals. Lead styphnate is
-- air-scrubbing.
a poor initiator, but it is easily ignited by fire or
-- shell-filling.
by a static discharge. It is used as an ingredient
--shell-washout water.
of the priming layer which causes lead azide to
--cleanup water.
explode from a flash. (132)
Dust from the unloading operation and fumes
of the lead slugs, bullet jackets, and shell casings
air with water. When the shells are being filled
with explosives, any spillage or over-filling will
than those from explosives manufacture. Waste
contaminate the water bath unless the water is
constituents include heavy metals, oils and
covered. The washout water from rejected or
grease, soaps and surfactants, solvents, and ac-
renovated shells is heavily contaminated with
ids. Lead slugs are manufactured by extruding
explosives. The metal-cleaning and metal-treating
lead wire, then cutting and forming the lead for
rinse waters are contaminated with alkali soaps
insertion in the bullet jacket. Alkaline cleaners,
and surfactants, as well as dissolved copper. A
soluble oils, and cooling waters constitute the
complete washdown of all areas and equipment
wastewater flow. Typical characteristics include
which could be contaminated with explosives is
high pH of about 11 and a moderate COD of 286
usually performed at least weekly, resulting in
mg/L. Small arms bullet jackets and casings are
large flows of highly contaminated water. Table
normally brass (copper and zinc alloy), although
3-14 indicates typical total wastewater character-
either may be made of steel for certain applica-
istics.
tions. The larger artillery shells are generally
steel. The manufacturing processes used for both
Table 3-14. Typical LAP facility industrial waste water
brass and steel are essentially the same, consist-
characteristics (mg/L unless noted otherwise)
ing of stamping out plugs from metal sheets, then
Parameter
Maximum Average
Minimum
drawing, trimming, tapering, and shaping the
pH (units)
8.4
7.9
6.8
plugs into either a shell, bullet jacket, or casing.
Total Solids
1,790
1,401
903
Conventional metal conditioning operations, such
Suspended Solids
138
336
22
Total Volatile Solids
as alkaline cleaning, pickling, phosphatizing, and
956
426
548
25
17
10
metal coating occur between steps. One quality
TNT
235
178
156
control check involves the use of a mercurous
RDX
180
145
88
nitrate solution, creating an opportunist y for mer-
(k) Coal pile runoff. Large quantities of
cury pollution. Total wastes have widely fluctuat-
coal are used at many military facilities for power
ing pH with heavy metals (mercury, copper, zinc,
generation. T h e co a l t h a t is stored for this
and iron), oils and surfactants. Table 3 13 indi-
purpose is maintained in large outdoor storage
cates typical munitions metal parts wastewater
characteristics.
piles. Rain infiltration generates a coal pile runoff
3-18