Nota: come volevasi dimostrare, sono migliaia le tonnellate di uranio riciclate in armi. Ma siccome, come dice Rubbia, in tempo di guerra tutto è permesso, finirà che ce le dovremo respirare tutte. Se non ci credete, chiamate al telefono Don D. Harrison, il responsabile di questo programma:
Telefono dall'Italia: 001 850 8822247.

PROBLEM/OBJECTIVE: Many thousands of tons of munitions in the inventory contain depleted uranium (DU) penetrators. Other uses of DU as warhead materials will generate more inventory in the near future. In addition, other heavy metals such as tantalum and tungsten and their alloys are also being developed as warhead materials by Army and Air Force. Disposal of DU in low-level radioactive disposal sites is become increasingly expensive, and alternatives have not been developed and demonstrated.

VALUE OF PROJECT: This project will allow DU and other heavy metals from conventional munitions to be recovered and recycled, thus preventing burial. Costs of new materials and costs of disposal of these recovered materials combine to make new methods for recovering these materials essential. The recovered materials may be used for other military applications or for commercial applications.

ORDNANCE ITEM(S) AFFECTED: All munitions that incorporate DU, tantalum, tungsten and/or their alloys as a penetrator or warhead material.

TECHNICAL APPROACH: Work will be performed by industries that have expertise in DU and heavy metal technology. A survey of existing literature on recovery/recycling of heavy metal alloys of interest to DOD will initiate this effort. Then a survey of applicable technologies currently adaptable to this area will be identified. Finally, selected processes will be demonstrated by recycling actual alloys. Consideration will be given to tantalum and tungsten alloys that contain heavy metals such as nickel, cobalt, and/or copper.

JOINT COOPERATIVE PARTICIPATION: This work will be done jointly with the U.S. ARDEC, Materials & Aeroballistics Technology Division, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ; USABRDEC, Advanced Technical Division, Fort Belvoir, VA, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory serving as consultants. Work will be done primarily by contractor with some in-house support.

PROGRESS TO DATE: Some initial work on recycling DU penetrators from GAU-8 rounds has been done during the early 1980's. Penetrators were melted down, made into new penetrators, and passed metallurgical tests. A joint SERDP effort with US ARDEC, USABRDEC, Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory was started in the mid-90's. This effort was oriented towards alternative processes for cleaning depleted uranium contaminated vehicles and equipment. A SBIR effort was also performed by Air Force Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate that investigated environmental effects of tantalum and tungsten alloys used in warheads and penetrators. These technologies can be used as a starting point for demilitarization/disposal and recycling of DU and heavy metal penetrators and warheads used in munitions.

MAJOR MILESTONES & COMPLETION DATES:
Milestones      Completion Dates
Investigate current heavy metal alloy use in DoD        FY 00
Identify applicable technologies for demil/disposal of heavy metal
munitions       FY 00
Comparison studies of applicable technologies   FY 01
Demonstration of selected Demil/Disposal/Recycling processes    FY 03
Final Report    FY 04

TECHNICAL POC: AFRL/MNMI, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Don D. Harrison, (850) 882-2247 ext. 2247, FAX (850) 882-2204

PROPOSED TECHNOLOGY CUSTOMER(S): Air Force Conventional Munitions Programs, Single Manager for Conventional Ammunition, Industry.

MODE OF IMPLEMENTATION: In-House/Contract
DATE SUBMITTED: May 1999