Microwave Water Purification Process

CHA Corporation
 Continuous Process 372 W. Lyon
Laramie, WY 82072
 Alternating Hydrocarbon Destruction /
Telephone: (307) 742-2829
GAC Reactivation Process Fax: (307) 742-3415
 Microwave Oxidation of Hazardous Off- Website: www.chacorporation.com
gases Email: ccha@chacorporation.com

 Chemical Warfare Agent Destruction

 Biological Agent Destruction
CHA
 Creates Reusable Vehicle Wash Water 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

 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.

Our Process
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 reactivation 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 re-
activator. Three reactors are filled with
granular activated carbon, and at any
time, two act as microwave destruction
and removal reactors, and the other acts
as a reactivation reactor. Once the GAC
becomes inactivated in one of the
removal reactors, a series of valves can
be operated and the inactivated GAC can
be reactivated, while the other two
reactors act as destruction and removal
reactors.
The gases produced from the reactivation
process are sent to a microwave oxidizer,
which will oxidize 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
reactivation.

CHA Corporation Microwave Water Purification Process January 2005