1. Microwave Water Purification Process
CHA Corporation
372 W. Lyon
Laramie, WY
Telephone: (307)
Fax: (307)
Website:
Continuous Process
Alternating Hydrocarbon Destruction / GAC Regeneration Process
Microwave Oxidation of Hazardous Off-gases
Chemical Warfare Agent Destruction
Biological Agent Destruction
Creates Reusable Vehicle Wash Water
CHA Corporation
CHA Corporation Background
The Army Research Office has awarded CHA Corporation an SBIR grant to build a prototype microwave water purification system. This process will be capable of eliminating hydrocarbons and hazardous chemical agents in water contaminated by washing combat vehicles at front lines. For the past 13 years, CHA Corporation has focused on utilizing microwaves to induce or enhance chemical reactions. These efforts, made possible through industrial and
governmental support, emphasize the development of new technologies for gas and water cleanup through selective destruction in contaminated waste streams. When combat vehicles become contaminated with any number of chemical agents, washing these vehicles is required. This wash water may contain any combination of contaminants, including: engine oil, fuel, mud, chemical warfare agents or biological agents. The
CHA Corporation Microwave Water Purification Process
CHA Corporation Microwave Water Purification Process January 2005

2. Microwave Water Purification Process
treatment of this waste stream can eliminate many of the health and environmental risks presented to military personnel associated with the washing of combat vehicles. Also, by allowing the reuse of the wash water, the need to transport water is greatly reduced, a major benefit in locations where water supplies are scarce.
CHA Corporation studied several possible options for the microwave water purification system. After extensive laboratory testing, the best option for this project was determined to be an alternating system capable of both microwave destruction of aqueous contaminants and on-site regeneration of activated carbon. This process, coupled with a pair of microwave catalytic oxidizers, provides the highest overall DRE (destruction and removal efficiency), yielding both clean water and a harmless off-gas.
The advantage of our process lies in its ability to simultaneously act as both a destruction reactor and a GAC regenerator. Three reactors are filled with granular activated carbon, and at any time, two act as microwave destruction reactors, and the other acts as a dry-regeneration reactor. Once the GAC becomes saturated in one of the destruction reactors, a series of valves can be operated and the saturated GAC can be regenerated, while the other two reactors act as destruction reactors.
The gases produced from the dry regeneration process are sent to a series of microwave catalytic oxidizers, which will break down any hazardous gaseous compounds, and vent safe air to the atmosphere. Our technology provides a continuous process with effective hydrocarbon removal and in place GAC regeneration.
With this technology, CHA Corporation has successfully concluded a series of field demonstrations at Camp Guernsey Training Facility and at the Cheyenne Army National Guard Base to decontaminate used vehicle wash water and machine shop wastewater. This water was used on a variety of equipment, including tanks, transport vehicles, and helicopters, and included a variety of contaminants, such as engine oil, fuel, and mud. Other recent tests have shown the efficient destruction of a variety of human pathogens and other biological agents in aqueous solutions. Over 99.94% destruction was achieved for these tests.
Tests have also been conducted using refinery waste water, containing mostly benzene and other hydrocarbons. These waste streams were effectively decontaminated and all of the benzene was removed. A wet regeneration process proved to easily remove the adsorbed benzene from the saturated carbon bed, restoring the adsorption capacity of the carbon bed, allowing for subsequent re-saturations. Microwave oxidation was then used to ensure the complete destruction of desorbed benzene to prevent any benzene emission to the atmosphere.
CHA Corporation