Figure 6-5. APE 1236 deactivation furnace (discharge assembly)

TM 9-1300-277

Figure 6-5. APE 1236 deactivation furnace (discharge assembly).

These grounds provide the capability for open burning of

g. The APE 1236 Deactivation Furnace is

scrap propellants and explosives, wooden and fiber

described in detail in the Army "Operation and

boxes, fiber containers, and other unserviceable

Maintenance Manual, Deactivation Furnace APE 1236,"

combustible materials common to ammunition

9 December 1970, U.S. Army Armament, Munitions

operations. The burning process is accomplished by

and Chemical Command, Dover, New Jersey.

burning unserviceable combustibles which in turn ignite

h. Naval Sea Systems Command Publication TK

scrap propellants and explosives. This process is also

3P90R01, April 1980, provides data for processing

used to flash off residue explosive from large metal

munitions through the Rotary Deactivation Furnace

components.

(APE 1236). The publication provides the explosive

b. Other than the now-banned ocean dumping,

weight, propellant weight, unit weight, temperature

open burning is perhaps the oldest and most universal

setting, RPM, and feed rate for various munitions by

demilitarization technique. Unwanted material is piled in

NSN. This publication provides an excellent guide for

a remote, open field with sufficient starter fuel such as

types of munitions which can be processed through the

wastepaper, scrap dunnage, etc., and ignited. There is

furnace.

no elaborate equipment, negligible fuel cost, and little

6-8. OPEN BURNING GROUNDS

labor required. However, it

a. Open burning grounds provide

very

economical means of demilitarization.

Change 2 6-9