Dehumidification, ductwork ‘keep the powder dry' in AZ
Even before the 9/11 attacks, one Arizona army base was already upgrading its ammunition storage facilities in an effort to keep the United States at the ready. Over a six-year period from 1998 to 2002, the base decided to install environmental controls for more than 50 ammunition storage facilities.
Lt. Col. Pete Cullum, the base engineer who handles maintenance and repair of all operational systems, said the project was a three-phase process involving two different mechanical contractors. The first phase started with six dehumidification units in early 1998, but Cullum said these initial units had insufficient capacity to maintain the desired environment and maintain an even climate for the ammunition materials.