Development of a method to capture and quantify emissions from open burning of explosives

Abstract

This thesis presents the development of a method for capturing and quantifying gaseous emissions resulting from the open burning of explosives. The environmental impact of military explosives disposal, particularly through open burning and detonation, necessitates improved emission monitoring techniques to mitigate pollution and health risks. Four commonly used explosives, RDX, TNT, NTO, and nitrocellulose, were selected for this study due to their widespread application in military and industrial settings. A bespoke gas collection system was designed to capture emissions from controlled open burning experiments, with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) employed for real-time gas analysis. The system was validated using inert materials such as cellulose and paraffin wax, ensuring the accuracy and reliability of the emission quantification process before analysing explosive samples. The FTIR analysis identified key emissions, including CO₂, CO, N₂O, H₂O, and NOx, which were quantified and compared to theoretical predictions based on the combustion of each explosive. The results revealed significant variations in emission profiles between different explosives, highlighting the environmental hazards posed by traditional disposal methods. The findings from this study underscore the importance of accurate emission capture and analysis to inform safer explosive disposal practices. This research contributes to a deeper understanding of the gaseous by-products of open burning, advocating for enhanced monitoring frameworks to reduce the ecological footprint of explosive ordnance disposal operations.