Decontamination of TNT Red Water Treatment Plant by Open Burning, Volunteer Army Ammunition Plant, Chattanooga, TN
100,000 SF WWII era wood frame building was contaminated with hundreds of pounds of TNT:
"Red water" is TNT sludge from the TNT manufacturing process
Contamination inside very old, large cast iron piping and vessels large was not safely accessible by any means of removal or deactivation.
The Army had agreed to transfer the property to the State for reuse as the site for a new Volkswagen manufacturing plant.
An Open Burning permit was applied for, negotiated and issued by the TN DEP Air Program.
Burn operation was coordinated through City Fire Department.
Large storage vessels were cut open with a 40,000 psi water torch to prevent ignition.
Over 40,000 wood pallets were placed in the building to support combustion.
Real time temperature monitoring device were installed through the building to ensure that all areas reached temperatures required for full decontamination.
The pallets were ignited by remote techniques.
The fire burned to temperature above 1000 degrees F, for 16 hours.
There was no propagation or unplanned spread of the fire.
After all temperature verification units were checked, the building was demolished using conventional techniques an all metal scrap was recycled at a commercial scrap dealer.
The project was completed on schedule and below budget, and the property was released for transfer.