An In-Depth Look at the Pyrophoric Properties of Chemical Weapon Agents and Their Simulants in a Pool Fire Environment

Chemical weapon agents (CWA) in foreign enemy territory represent a threat to local and global stability. An effective long-range destruction method of CWA has yet to be established. In this paper the pool fire properties of CWA (Mustard, Sarin, VX) simulants (2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide, diisopropyl methyl phosphonate, and triethyl phosphate) were observed and extrapolated to their CWA counterparts in an effort to develop an effective method of destruction. Two pool fire apparatus were constructed. From those apparati it was discovered only 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide combusts under our conditions. Triethyl phosphate was combustible under extreme conditions while diisopropyl methyl phosphate could not sustain combustion once ignited. Using the work previously done by Blinov, Khudiakov, and Hottel several small scale steady volume pool fires of 2-chloroethyl ethyl sulfide and methanol were completed. The work was accomplished in hopes of establishing a Blinov-Khudiakov pool fire curve model that can predict simulant fires to help model large scale CWA pool fires.