Both laboratory and field trials were conducted for chemical and radioactive decontamination of armoured vehicles using a forced high-frequency pulsed waterjet machine. The purpose of the project was to evaluate if the decontamination achieved with the machine would meet NATO standards. All the laboratory and field trials were conducted at pressures in the range of 34.5 - 55.2 MPa, using a hand-held gun with a rotating twin-orifice nozzle, and a lawnmower type of manipulator (for underneath the vehicles). The flow rates and hydraulic powers ranged respectively from 22 - 27.5 litre/rain and 15 - 30 kW (slightly higher for lawnmower device). The radioactive decontamination trials were conducted on an atmoured truck at the Canadian Forces Base (CFB) at Borden, Canada. The chemical decontamination trials were conducted on an actual armoured tank at the site of DRDC-Ottawa (formerly DREO), Canada. The conclusions are: I. The forced pulsed waterjet machine showed great promise for thorough radioactive decontamination now being considered as the NATO standard. II. As mixed results were obtained in the chemical decontamination trials, further work was deemed to be necessary to achieve NATO standards.
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