AS A RESULT OF RECENT DISCUSSIONS WITH YOUR TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE, WE ARE SUBMITTING HEREWITH A PROPOSED PROGRAM OF RESEARCH DIRECTED TOWARD THE DEVELOPMENT OF A SMALL EXPERIMENTAL INCINERATOR FOR THE DESTRUCTION OF PAPERS AND DOCUMENTS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP78-03642A001700010004-8
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 7
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 30, 2012
• Sequence Number: 4
• Publication Date: July 31, 1959
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/31 : CIA-RDP78-03642AO01700010004-8 D
CONFIDENTIAL'
In replying please address:
-~3
July 31, 1959
As a result of recent discussions with your technical
representative, we are submitting herewith a,proposed program of
research directed toward the development of a small experimental
incinerator for the destruction of papers and documents normally
stored in safes and filing cabinets.
Under Task Order No. Z, an experimental air-film-cooled
incinerator has been developed that provides an average burning
capacity of approximately 200 pounds of paper per hour for operations
under normal every-day conditions, and of approximately 500 pounds
per hour for operations under emergency conditions as anticipated.
This experimental unit is being evaluated at this time by your
technical representatives and their associates under field conditions,
and appears to be operating quite satisfactorily. Further efforts
under Task Order No. Z are currently being directed toward the inves-
tigation of selected modifications of this experimental incinerator
design and toward the incorporation, in a second experimental unit
with a similar burning capacity, of any modifications which are
mutually considered meritorious, within the limits of the time and
funds provided.
CO FI MNMAL
HEV ux ~E d~~ 8Y ~~
OEUC TYPE
ORiG CL~ASS~j 1 V CLA~ S
JUST -10_?;~- N.XT R~EY . AUTH. HR 10.2
// /i{
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-2- July 31, 1959
The general design of the above-mentioned experimental air-
film-cooled incinerators appears to be sound. Your technical
representative has indicated a need for a unit of this type that would
provide only about half of the burning capacity as described above,
but that otherwise would be similar to the Task Order No. Z experi-
mental unit. A proposed program of research directed toward achieving
this aim is described in the following.
Objective
The objective of the proposed program would be to conduct
research directed toward the development of a small experimental
incinerator which would be based on the design of and would be
generally similar to the Task Order No. Z experimental unit, but which
would provide only about half of the burning capacity and would be
smaller in size.
General Method of Procedure
The effort under the proposed program would be directed
toward the development of an experimental incinerator with approximately
half the burning capacity, and with other operating characteristics
similar to those of the Task Order No. Z experimental incinerator. The
operating characteristics of particular interest, in addition to burning
capacity, include simplicity and reliability.of operation; minimal emission
of smoke, fumes, and fly ash; and independence relative to the need for
auxiliary fuel other than for the initial ignition of the charge.
It is currently contemplated that the design of the proposed
half-capacity unit would be essentially the same as that of the
ET
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above-described larger experimental units. Minor changes necessitated
by the reduced size, or indicated to be worth while by the current
research under Task Order No. Z or by the field evaluation being
conducted by your technical representatives, would be incorporated in
the design, wherever feasible. Also, in the course of designing the
experimental half-capacity unit, continued attention would be directed
toward evolving means of increasing the rate of burning particularly
during the late stage of the burning cycle, and for minimizing the
amount of incompletely burned paper remaining at the end of the
incineration period. Also, it is expected that an improved quick-
opening door would be provided.
In the development of a suitable design for the proposed
half-capacity unit, our previous experience developed in scaling down
combustion equipment would be utilized. Efforts would be made to
evolve an experimental unit which would be as small as possible; it
is currently expected that the size of the proposed unit can be de-
creased appropriately. However, it should be realized that scaling
down flow equipment is not a simple matter of size ratios; it in-
volves also consideration of flow momentum where mixing and turbulence
are concerned. Also, the greater surface-to-volume ratio of the
proposed half-capacity unit will result in lower temperatures through-
out the unit during operation. This factor will probably be
advantageous from the standpoint of the life of the proposed unit,
but may aggravate slightly the unburned-residue difficulty.
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July 31, 1959
In connection with the unburned-residue difficulty, a
cursory investigation would be made to assess the effect of using ad-
ditional insulation on the bottom of the proposed incinerator. The
present design of the bottom would be changed from an air-cooled,
stainless steel, double-cone type of construction to one consisting of
a simple carbon-steel inverted cone covered with about a 3/4-inch-
thick layer of castable insulating refractory (weighing about
40 pounds); air would be supplied to this inverted cone from the
tangential or radial wall jets located above the cone. A few simple
burning experiments would be conducted in the experimental half-
capacity unit equipped with this type of refractory-lined bottom. If
the results are mutually considered to be favorable, this feature
would be incorporated into the design. If the use of the refractory
lining on the bottom appeared to have no merit or to lead to ad-
ditional problems, then the design of the bottom would be allowed to
remain unchanged, i.e., the air-cooled, double-cone type of bottom
would be utilized.
In general, it is contemplated that extensive over-all
evaluation of the proposed half-capacity unit would not be necessary,
since the performance of the smaller experimental unit is expected to
be quite similar (except for about half the burning rate) to that of
the large experimental unit. It is planned that an extended burning
experiment would be conducted with intermittent batch feeding of
telephone-book paper, to explore the maximum burning capacity of the
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July 31, 1959
experimental unit. Also, a small number of single-batch runs would be
made in order to investigate the completeness of burning of the
charge.
Where needed, minor modifications stemming frcrn the burning
experiments would be incorporated in the experimental unit, within
the limits of the time and funds provided. The experimental unit,
with an appropriate stack and minimum instrumentation similar to that
provided with the large experimental incinerator, would subsequently
be made available to your technical representative for field
evaluation.
Reports and Liaison
Monthly letter reports would be submitted to keep your
technical representative informed of the progress of the proposed
program. These would be supplemented by meetings with your represent-
ative. At the conclusion of the proposed research period, a summary
report describing the results of the effort would be submitted.
Duration and Estimated Costs
It is proposed that the contract provide for a four-month
period of research, with an estimated appropriation of $7,749, includ-
ing the fixed fee. The general breakdown of the estimated costs is
attached.
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The Contract
July 31, 1959
The proposed contract would be a period-basis research
agreement, consistent with our current contractual arrangements and
providing only for a fixed period of research leading toward the
objective outlined in this proposal.
If you should have any questions with regard to this
proposal, please let us know. Any inquiries of a contractual nature
may be directed to at Extension 159?
Very truly yours,
In Duplicate
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 Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/31 : CIA-RDP78-03642AO01700010004-8
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/05/31 : CIA-RDP78-03642AO01700010004-8