The Challenge
A major government contractor required a bulk processing solution to thermally decontaminate protective suits used by military personnel, specifically those exposed to harmful chemical agents like HD (sulfur mustard). These protective suits, known as Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE) suits, are designed to shield the wearer from dangerous liquid and vapor chemical agents, including GB (Sarin), VX (a highly toxic nerve agent), and HD (sulfur mustard).
The DPE suits are made of chlorinated polyethylene, a durable, flexible material resistant to chemicals. Each suit is disposable, comes in different thicknesses (20 or 30 mils), weighs 15 pounds, and features a clear visor made of optical polyvinyl chloride (PVC) for visibility. The suits measure 3 feet wide by 7 feet tall when laid flat.
The Solution
EPCON developed a custom decontamination system using high-velocity hot air to clean the DPE suits. This system can quickly reach the necessary temperature range (190-400°F) in just 15-20 minutes, thanks to electric heating elements.
In the large capacity decontamination chamber, high-velocity hot air is used to vaporize, and subsequently burn off, the harmful gasses present on the DPE suits. The system circulates this hot air at high pressure to ensure even heating throughout the suit. This uniform heating and the movement of the suits within the chamber ensure that all surfaces are thoroughly decontaminated and prevent the suit materials from sticking together. The unique airflow and design allowed for bulk decontamination of large batches of DPE suites at one time.
The Results
The high-velocity hot air effectively vaporized and burned off the hazardous gasses, while the uniform air recirculation ensured thorough decontamination and prevented the suits’ surfaces from sticking together. The implementation of EPCON’s high-velocity air decontamination system successfully achieved the thermal decontamination of bulk batches of DPE suits and at one time.
