THIS LETTER REPORT SUMMARIZES THE RESEARCH PERFORMED UNDER TASK ORDER NO. Z DURING OCTOBER, NOVEMBER, AND DECEMBER, 1958.

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03642A000600070006-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 4, 2011
• Sequence Number: 6
• Publication Date: January 27, 1959
• Content Type: LETTER

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CONFI DEN TIA
L
P. O. BOX 216 -STATION A
COLUMBUS, OHIO
Y'P
January 27, 1959 F -1, q
Esripy e1'0~
This letter report summarizes th( research performed
under Task Order No. Z i aduring October, November, and December, 1958.
During this period, further experimental work, consisting
of 9 test runs, was conducted in the experimental refractory-lined
incinerator; a new full-scale working model employing an air-film-
cooled liner was designed; and a feeding mechanism for paper was
designed.
Experimental Work with Refractory-
Lined Unit
SYsr~,~.
In all of the tests run since October 1, the gas-offtake
grid has prevented the escape of fly ash and unburned paper in the
legible size range above 3/16 inch. Therefore, a similar grid was
included in the design of the new unit, discussed later.
In all but two of the 34 test runs conducted to date in
the experimental unit, obsolete telephone books were burned as a
standard charge material. The books were torn along the binding
into about six equally thick sections, with many loose sheets. To
check the effect of using other kinds of paper as the charge material,
two tests runs were made by burning a typical assortment of letter
papers, folders, and small bound reports which were obtained from
our outdated files. During these two test runs, the flow rate of
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January 27, 1959
primary air was adjusted frequently to maintain high, but not excessive
flue-gas temperatures of from 1000 to 1500 F, in order to obtain
maximum sustained burning rates between batch loadings. Average
burning rates of 500 and 520 lb per hr were obtained in these tests.
It is to be noted that the second of these two tests was run during
your visit on October 15.
Although average burning rates of 500 lb per hr have been
demonstrated frequently, at these rates of operation there have been
periods during which excessive smoke and flames have been emitted
from the stack. To minimize or prevent these occurrences, further
development was aimed at better mixing of the gases above the burning
paper through the use of increased flow of secondary air and additional
air-entry ports.
Figure 1 is a drawing of the experimental refractory-lined
incinerator with 12 new horizontal secondary-air ports installed to
direct air tangent to a 21-inch-diameter circle. These ports,
together with the original four larger horizontal ports, provided
for increases of secondary-air flow up to 75 per cent above that used
in previous tests, and increased the total flow of air required by
up to 40 per cent. Subsequent tests showed that the emission of smoke
was almost completely eliminated by this increase in secondary air.
The frequency of occurrence and duration of flame emission were
likewise reduced, but not to the degree desired at maximum burning
rates. However, at lower burning rates of about 200 lb per hr, smoke
and flames were completely eliminated.
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January 27, 1959
In an effort to reduce further the emission of flames to
durations of less than a total of 1 to 2 minutes per hour of operation,
air was supplied to the central core of the burning chamber by an
axial duct (3 inches in diameter) installed at the bottom of the
incinerator. Three tests were made with the unit so modified. The
first was run with one 1.5-inch-diameter jet of air directed upward
from a level 28 inches above the bottom of the chamber; the second,
with 36 jets, each 1/4 inch in diameter, directed radially outward
and located along the axial duct up to a height of 15 inches above the
bottom of the chamber; and the third, with increased air flow obtained
by enlarging some of the 36 jets to 3/8- and 1/2-inch diameter. In
these tests, the emission of flames was not decreased sufficiently
to warrant the inclusion of a central duct in the subsequent design,
particularly since there would be attendant disadvantages such as
interference during loading of the paper charges.
At the close of the currently planned experimental work
with the refractory-lined incinerator, in mid-November, many of the
factors bearing on the design of an air-film-cooled unit were
resolved, and the design of the new unit was begun.
Design of Air-Film-Cooled
Incinerator
The initial drawings of the new unit were reviewed with
you during our meeting on November 25. We indicated that the over-
all height of the unit would be reduced by several inches, to
64 inches, and also that the idea of trying radially directed air
ports in a second experimental liner would be shelved.
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January 27, 1959
Revised drawings (D-5901-A and C-5902-A) incorporating these
changes were mailed to you on December 5. These were discussed and
approved at our meeting on December 15. A sketch of the loading door
was also discussed with you at that time.
To check for proper angular placement of the main tangential
air ports (see your copy of Drawing C-5902-A), a quadrant section of
the liner and outer shell was fabricated, and flow tests were conducted
with it near the end of December. The results showed that the main
jets of air from a short oblique nozzle gave the desired direction
and spread of air under simulated conditions of air velocity in the
annular plenum chamber.
Construction of the air-film-cooled incinerator will begin
early in January. It is expected that assembly will be completed
near the end of January.
Design of Paper-Feeding Mechanism
In the meeting with you on December 15, we discussed the
requirements of the feeding mechanism and the ideas we had evolved.
The basic requirements which were agreed upon were as follows:
(1) A batch process appears more desirable
than continuous feed.
(2) The mechanism should be capable of
feeding papers at a rate sufficient to
dispose of 500 lb per hr.
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January 27, 1959
(3) There should be a curved inner door to
prevent flames and burning paper from
entering the annulus and loading area.
(4) The loading hopper should be large
enough to take 8-1/2" x 11" paper in
any position and legal-size paper in
one position.
(5) The mechanism should be easily
operated by hand or foot.
(6) The mechanism should occupy a small
space.
(7) The mechanism should be readily de-
tachable for maintenance.
(8) The loading area should not get hot.
We discussed approximately 17 ideas which had evolved from
our idea meetings and selected a sliding-box design for further
development. This design consists essentially of a box which is open
at the top and bottom,and is guided by side rods in a stationary box,
which is open at the ends, and into the burning chamber. The end of the
stationary box which opens into the incinerator is sealed by a curved
door which moves in when the movable box is pushed forward and returns
to seal the opening when the movable box is pulled out. The unit has
been designed to permit easy modification or addition of other features
such as outer doors, seals, and rollers, should they be found necessary
after preliminary tests are conducted.
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CONFIDEIV1IpL
January 27, 1959
The layout and detail drawings of this experimental unit
were completed in December and the necessary material ordered.
Fabrication of the unit will start the first week of January and is
expected to be ready for preliminary testing during the last week of
January.
The total appropriation on this Task Order was $59,470. As
of January 1, 1959, the unexpended balance was approximately $28,300.
Sincerely,
In Duplicate
CONFIDENTIAL
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