Ammonium Nitrate AN

In commercial practice, powdered explosives on an ammonium nitrate basis are used in most cases. Typical detonation velocities are between 1800 and 3500 m/s depending on the metal system to be bonded. The lower detonation velocity range is preferred for many metal systems in order to minimize the quantity of solidified melt associated with the bond-zone waves (12). In addition, subsonic detonation velocity explosives are required for the parallel cladding technique in order to avoid attached shock waves in the coUision region, which preclude formation of a good bond. 

Figure 4-14. Radial machines of one to eight stages with horizontally split casing, partcularly suitable for compressing nitrous gases. There are no dead spaces provoking buildup of an ammonium nitrate salt.

Yourcompany. a nitric acid manufacturer, uses ammonia in a waste treatment system to neutralize an acidic wastewater stream containing nitric acid. The reaction of the ammonia and nitric acid produces an ammonium nitrate solution. Ammonium nitrate solution is a listed toxic substance, as are nitric acid and ammonia. Your facility otherwise uses ammonia as a reactant and manufactures ammonium nitrate solution as a byproduct. If the ammonium nitrate solution is produced in a quantity that exceeds the threshold (e.g., 25,000 pounds for 1989), the facility must report for ammonium nitrate solution. If more than 10,000 pounds of ammonia is added to the wastewater treatment system, then the facility must report (or ammonia. 

Case Study Combining Heat and Mass Inte ation for an Ammonium Nitrate Plant... 

Ammonium nitrate is made at Fisons Ltd and stored in solution in two heated tanks to prevent ciystalization. One tank holds 3,100 tonnes and the other 6,200 tonnes of 92% aqueous ammonium nitrate solution. Trains laden with oil refinery products from the Mobil and Shell refineries pass the factory on a near embankment. A derailment could spill and ignite hydrocarbons from a rail tank car to explode an ammonium nitrate storage tank. Suggestions were made to mitigate or prevent such a domino effect... 

In an operation of this sort, the commonest explosive used is an ammonium nitrate gelatine such as Polar Ammon Gelignite. The wedge holes are likely to contain about 1 kg each of explosive and the other holes less than half this amount. The appropriate charge is usually calculated according to the nature of the rock, varying from 1 to 4 kg per m3 of rock between the softest and the hardest strata. 

Corrosion permitted leak of nitric acid into the ammonia feed passing through the cooling tubes of a nitric acid plant. An ammonium nitrate deposit built up and exploded when the tubes were cut out with a welding torch for replacement. 

A violent explosion in an ammonium nitrate store with sawdust-covered floors (to absorb spillage and prevent sparks) was attributed to local decomposition of the moist nitrate-containing sawdust, leading to temperature rise and spontaneous ignition. The observation of red-brown fumes just before the explosion supports this hypothesis. 

A mixture of 0.5% of potassium permanganate with an ammonium nitrate explosive caused an explosion 7 h later. This was owing to formation and exothermic decomposition of ammonium permanganate, leading to ignition. 

Extraction process for arsenic and heavy metals AN - ammonium nitrate, KW = aqua regia (Konigswasser)... 

AN, ammonium nitrate HMTD, hexamethylene triperoxide diamine HMX, C4H8N8O8 NG, nitroglycerin PETN, pentaerythritol tetranitrate RDX, CsHgNgOg TATP, triacetone triperoxide ... 

These are common abbreviations for the following TNT 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene AN ammonium nitrate PETN pentaerythritol tetranitrate HMX octahydro-l,3,5,7,-tetranitro-l,3,4,5-tetrazocine RDX hexahydro-l,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine HMTD hexamethylene triperoxide diamine TATP triacetone triperoxide. 

Explosive-related chemical Explosive remnants of war Electrostatic discharge Explosives trace detection Explosive vapor detection (U.S.) Federal Aviation Administration Field asymmetric ion mobility spectrometry Fertilizer-Grade AN (ammonium nitrate)... 

Afocite. A blasting expl compn existing in two formulations 1) AN (Ammonium Nitrate)... 

Shoan bakuyaku. An AN (Ammonium Nitrate) explosive compn used in Army Substitute Demolition Charges AN 79, DNN (Dinitronaph-thalene) 10, sawdust 1 NaCl 10%. TNT could replace DNN (Ref 1, p 29 Ref 5, p 371)... 

X-9. A pressed mixture of RDX AN (Ammonium Nitrate) used in Type 92 7-cm (70-mm) HE Projectile described in Ref 3, p 304, Fig 236 X-10. A pressed expl compn of RDX 90 paraffin 10%, coated with graphite and wrapped in A1 foil. It was used in Type 1 47-nun and 7-cm (75-mm) Armor-Piercing Projectiles described in Ref 3, pp 299 331... 

Abbreviations AN — Ammonium Nitrate DNAn — Dinitroaniline DNAns — Dinitroanisole ... 

One of the best methods for lowering the temperature without reducing the efficiency of an expl is to incorporate in (he expl a large proportion of AN (Ammonium Nitrate). Na or K nitrates or chlorides are also effective... 

When a part of NG is replaced with NGc (Nitroglycoi), the so-called LF (Low-Freezing) Gelatins are obtd. When part of NG (and of NGc) is replaced with AN (Ammonium Nitrate) in such quantities as to produce the same strength as before the replacement, the expl becomes Extra LF Gelatin (Ref 5)... 

Nitramine is believed to occur in an ammonium nitrate solution in an excess of concentrated sulphuric acid as a result of the dehydration of this salt ... 

Monobel—an ammonium nitrate explosive containing about 80% ammonium nitrate and 10% nitroglycerine, plus 10% wood meal which adsorbed the nitroglycerine. 

Cambrite—an ammonium nitrate explosive modelled on the German Car-bonits (see Table 124). It contained a small quantity of nitroglycerine, potassium or sodium nitrate and a considerable amount of carbonaceous material (e.g. wood meal, charcoal etc.). This material was added to prevent the complete combustion of the carbon included in the explosive (to carbon monoxide only), to reduce the heat of explosion and, in consequence, the temperature of the explosion. 

The transmission of detonation in a confined space (in a tube or shothole) is higher than in the open air. E.g. an ammonium nitrate explosive with 4% nitroglycerine which ordinarily has a transmission value of 10-15 cm, in a mortar gives the value 19-23 cm, according to T. Urbanski [70]. This author studied change of transmission as a function of density. The results for ammonium nitrate explosives are given in the diagram in Fig. 144. 

An ammonium nitrate explosive in widespread use is Nitramon (Kirst, Woodbury and McCoy [92]) containing ammonium nitrate with DNT. It is not classified as permissible . 

Pobedit P-8 is an ammonium nitrate sheathed explosive with 7% nitroglycerine. The sheath is composed of potassium chloride powder. 

Figure 169 gives an idea of the apparatus which seemed to be in use at Bingham Mine, Utah. It permits charging horizontal, skew and vertical shotholes with an ammonium nitrate-fuel oil mixture. Ammonium nitrate (45.4 kg) is placed in the vessel. Fuel oil (3.78 1.) is introduced from a measuring tank. The ammonium nitrate and fuel oil are moved by compressed air (2.6 and 1.9 atm respectively). Mixing occurs in the lower part of the vessel and immediately afterwards the mixture is fed into the shothole. 

There are also DuPont s Special Gelatins which contain AN (Ammonium Nitrate). They are described here under Item V, entitled "Gelatinous Nitroglycerin-Ammonium Nitrate Explosives (Ref 63, p40)... 

---