Abstract: The specification describes a system for the thermal treatment of energetic materials which generate a tremendous volume of gaseous products upon combustion. The system includes a containment system which maintains an interface between hot exhaust gas products and a cooler gas, yet allows the relatively slow removal and treatment of the exhaust gas products from the containment system while permitting the inflow of gas into the containment system to replace an equivalent volume of exhaust gas products removed therefrom.

Abstract: The invention described herein provides a method and apparatus for the treatment of explosive waste. The method involves the use of a vessel containing a hot granular bed such as sand to ignite the waste and to dampen explosive forces generated by the ignition of the waste. When the waste contains non-combustible components, the granular bed serves to decrease the force of impact of the non-combustible materials on the vessel walls thereby increasing the life of the vessel and as a media for collection of the non-combustible materials. The granular bed may be removed from the chamber, the non-combustible material separated, and the bed returned in a continuous or intermittent recycle for an efficient operation which conserves the bed material.