Abstract  Electrochemical Oxidation can offer a viable alternative to incineration, landfill, and deep well injection for disposal of harmful chemicals. The U.S. Navy generates about one million pounds of Otto Fuel LI waste per year. About two thirds of the waste is liquid and one third of it is solid waste contaminated with the fuel. Otto Fuel II is a three component liquid monopropellant used for torpedo propulsion. The Indian Head Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center has been tasked to conduct a feasibility study utilizing an indirect electrochemical oxidation process for the destruction of Otto Fuel II waste, and provide technical and engineering support for construction of a full scale disposal facility at the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, Keyport, WA. Indirect electrochemical oxidation of organic materials is facilitated by using metals ions in a mineral acid electrolyte as a regenerative catalyst or mediator. Silver, cobalt, nickel, cerium, magnesium, and iron have been used as regenerative oxidants(1).

Catalyzed Electrochemical Oxidation (CEO), a low temperature and low pressure electrochemical oxidation process developed by Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratories (PNL) is being examined for use in the destruction of Otto Fuel II Waste(2,3). The CEO process uses the regenerative oxidant cerium (Ce3+/Ce4+) for the treatment of organic waste. Laboratory and bench scale studies showed that Otto Fuel II is readily destroyed by the CEO process. Pilot scale CEO studies are planned to determine the operational requirements for a full scale CEO plant to treat Otto Fuel LI waste. A summary of this work will be presented in this paper. The primary focus of the paper centers around the establishment of requirements for a full scale CEO facility.