Ammonium nitrate oxygen balance

Ammonium nitrate, a colorless Ionic solid used as a fertilizer, explodes when it is heated above 300 °C. The products are three gases molecular nitrogen, molecular oxygen, and steam (water vapor). Write a balanced equation for the explosion of ammonium nitrate. 

The most important explosives of this class are the ammon gelignites, so called because they are based essentially on ammonium nitrate which is the cheapest and most powerful source of oxygen. Sodium nitrate is sometimes added as well in order to improve the oxygen balance for certain types of these explosives. The ammon gelignites are explosives with... 

Alone, or Metals, or Metal compounds Mellor, 1940, Vol. 8, 327 1967, Vol. 8, Suppl. 2.2, 84, 96 It is an explosive of positive oxygen balance, less stable than ammonium nitrate, and has been studied in detail. Stable on slow heating to 300°C, it decomposes explosively on rapid heating or under confinement. Presence of zinc, copper, most other metals and their acetylides, nitrides, oxides or sulfides cause flaming decomposition above the m.p. (70°C). Commercial cobalt (cubes) causes an explosion also. 

Ammonium nitrate (AN) imparts slower burn rates but is a high gas producer and accordingly is used for gas generator propellants. AN has an oxygen balance 20%,... 

Medard [20], for instance, recommends a mixture of 62% ammonium nitrate and 38 % trimethylolpropane trinitrate. Such a mixture has on oxygen balance corresponding to complete combustion. A charge with a diameter of 30 mm and a density of 1.50 detonates with a rate of 6150 m/sec, and a charge with a density of 1.10 detonates with a rate of 4230 m/sec. Its lead block expansion is 127.5 (taking picric acid as 100). 

One of the most widely used mixtures comprised ammonium nitrate with dinitronaphthalene in a ratio giving complete decomposition with a zero oxygen balance ... 

Amatol 80/20 is a mixture approaching the proportion in which all the oxygen contained in ammonium nitrate is used (the oxygen balance is +1.2% in Amatol... 

In military ammonium nitrate explosives containing aluminium even those in which the oxygen balance is negative, the main reaction is assumed to be that of oxidation of the aluminium by reaction with ammonium nitrate ... 

A modification of Ammonits are Zernogranulits. They contain ammonium nitrate in prills mixed with molten TNT. Tliose with a negative oxygen balance arc used obviously in open-cast work only. Thanks to a high TNT content tliey are relatively hydrophobic. Some of Zernogranulits are described in Table 95. 

Write a balanced equation for each of the following processes (a) On heating, ammonium nitrate produces nitrous oxide, (b) On heating, potassium nitrate produces potassium nitrite and oxygen gas. 

Take solid explosives as an example to explain the influence of toxic gases by oxygen balance in explosion. Table 2.12 lists the experimental data of toxic gases released from explosion of ammonium nitrate mixtures. 

Equation. I is for a zero-oxygen-balanced mixture and provides a reference energy release of about 3.81c joules Uhe k stands for kilo and represents 1,000). Equation 2 is tor a fuel-rich or excess-fuel condition and shows a 0.6k joule per gram reduction in energy release. Equation 3 is for an oxidizer-rich condition (too much oxidizer), which has a 0.1k joule per gram reduction in energy release. This indicates that if one wore to make an anunonium nitrate el oil (ANFO) explosive, it would be better to err on the side of too much oxidizer (ammonium nitrate or rtilizer) than too much fuel (fuel oil). 

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