Emulsion explosives containing high concentrations of calcium nitrate

Patent · Tue Oct 26 04:00:00 EDT 1982

OSTI ID:6021895

Jessop, H A; Funk, A G

A water-in-oil emulsion blasting agent is described having a discontinuous aqueous oxidizer salt solution phase which contains a calcium nitrate (CN) to ammonium nitrate (AN) weight ratio of 1.5 or greater, a continuous oil or water-immiscible liquid organic phase, an emulsifier, and, optionally, a density reducing agent. It is found that emulsion slurry blasting agents containing this relatively high amount of CN to AN have properties that conventional emulsion slurry explosives, those containing more AN than CN or solely AN, do not. Specifically, one property is that the high-CN emulsion blasting agents of the present composition can have much smaller critical diameters but yet pass the US DOT Blasting Agent tests. This result will be shown in the examples that follow. Thus, if AN is present as the principal oxidizer salt, emulsion explosives that have small critical diameters, and even those with relatively large critical diameters, generally are too sensitive to pass the Blasting Agent tests. If CN is the principal oxidizer, the emulsion blasting agents are less sensitive and more likely to pass the tests. This effect of CN has commercial significance. 10 claims.

• Assignee: Ireco Chemicals
• Patent Number(s): US 4356044
• OSTI ID: 6021895
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEFENSE
450000* -- Military Technology
Weaponry
& National Defense
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
AMMONIUM NITRATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CALCIUM NITRATES
COLLOIDS
COMMERCIAL SECTOR
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DISPERSIONS
EMULSIONS
EXPLOSIVES
MIXTURES
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
VARIATIONS