Self-Contained Automated Vehicle Washing System with Microwave Decontamination
The Army Research Office awarded Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I and II grants totaling $850,000 to CHA Corporation to design and construct a full-scale Self-Contained Vehicle Washing System with Microwave Decontamination. The OctaFlex Environmental Systems of Timber, SD is a subcontractor for this project. OctaFlex developed the Containerized Assembled Washdown Facility (CAWF) system for washing and decontaminating military vehicles. The CAWF system was demonstrated to the US Marine Corps and other military commands at Blount Island Command, Jacksonville, FL and also at Millennium Dragon, Gulfport, MS. An operational unit of CAWF was installed in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and is currently being operated.
The Self-Contained Automated Vehicle Washing System with Microwave Decontamination consists of four modules; (1) Vehicle Wash Bays, (2) Solids Separation and Decontamination System, (3) Water Storage and Decontamination, and (4) Vapor Decontamination System. An overall operational system will be capable of washing and decontaminating four M1 A2 battle tanks per hour.
Under the Phase I work CHA Corporation in conjunction with OctaFlex has completed the engineering design and economic analysis for a full-scale Self-contained Vehicle Washing System with Microwave Decontamination. The system cleans and decontaminates the exterior of heavy military vehicles in remote locations with particular attention being focused on the minimization of operating and maintenance labor as well as enhancing personnel safety. To accomplish this, the system has been designed to provide an enclosed wash bay with a driver inside the vehicle. All vapor, liquid, and solid wastes are decontaminated prior to leaving the wash bay, eliminating the need to dispose of hazardous wastes generated during vehicle decontamination. The water is recycled through the system, eliminating the need to transport large quantities of water to and from remote locations. All of these capabilities have been packaged into five modified ISO shipping containers, permitting the rapid deployment of the system via standard shipping methods.
Under the Phase II program, CHA Corporation is constructing a full-scale microwave solid decontamination system and OctaFlex is building a full-scale vehicle wash bay. A full-scale vehicle decontamination system will be capable of decontaminating four, 70-ton, M1 A2 battle tanks per hour. These full-scale solid decontamination and vehicle wash bay will be parts of the Self-Contained Vehicle Washing System with Microwave Decontamination that meets the specifications and needs of the US Army for a portable, heavy duty vehicle washing system with water recycling capability.