Disposal of Navy Colored Smoke Compositions and Identification of Products of Combustion

An investigation was conducted to find the most environmentally acceptable and cost effective means of reclaiming or disposing of waste Navy colored smoke compositions. It is shown that the number of different kinds of excess smoke devices, the quantity related to the different kinds, cost of reclaim of each kind, and total quantity dictated that a disposal method be developed. The method of disposal chosen was incineration. A stainless steel incinerator with a 2.3 meter pathlength was constructed with a room and high temperature section. The room temperature section is equipped with a thermocouple to allow monitoring of the combustion process from ignition to removal of sublimed dye from the room temperature section for oxidation in the high temperature section. All effluents were collected for gas and condensables analyses. The results were a myriad of organic compounds: aromatics, and high molecular weight alkanes. The composite was 1300 micrograms which is 65 ppm. No polynuclear aromatic compounds were found. (Author)