Flameless Ration Heater

[King Leonidas]

Factual error(s) in Irish newspaper concerning FRHs in MRES?

13 August 2006 By Declan Power ,The Sunday Business Post (Irish)
http://www.sbpost.ie/post/pages/p/story ... qqqx=1.asp

"The problem with a chemical bomb however, is one of detection.

Unlike acid, or indeed boiling water, if you keep the necessary chemicals separate and secreted in a medicine container or a soft drink bottle, detection can be nearly impossible.

The US Army already uses this principle in its ration packs. Meals Ready to Eat (MREs) include freeze-dried food accompanied by a specially-packed sachet of chemicals.

When the chemicals are exposed to air they literally cook the ration pack in its wrapping. Take the principle and expand its volatility and your terrorist has a simple but effective weapon."


From U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, 15 May 2001:"
Background: Subject units are water activated devices for warming military Meals, Ready-to Eat (MRE). FRHs contain magnesium-iron alloy (Mg-Fe) and other powdered ingredients in flat High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) pouch. The exothermic chemical reaction which warms the meals, produces hydrogen gas as a by-product. The addition of water is ordinarily required to cause the reaction to proceed. However, atmospheric moisture may be capable of penetrating the HDPE, causing a low grade reaction and the evolution of H2 gas. The production of a flammable atmosphere is very slow but H2 concentrations may occur inside containers and in upper reaches of holds where pockets of gas may be held."

Photo of FRH fire:
viewtopic.php?t=22&sid=6a5e95820b90eda0999675cf0220c434