Explosives blends

A blended explosive product can be mixed to virtually any percentage specification. Although most blends are not cap-sensitive (i.e., blasting agents, Division 1.5), some manufacturers do produce blends classified as Division 1.1 explosives (e.g., products sensitized by the addition of glass microspheres). These products must be managed and stored accordingly. 

For a more in-depth discussion of the physical and chemical characteristics of emulsion explosives, see Blasters Handbook, 77-84 and Bampfield, Howard A. and John Cooper. 1988. Emulsion explosives. Chapter 7 in Encyclopedia of Emulsion Technology. New York and Basel Marcel Dekker. Mixtures consisting of a water-based explosive material matrix or an oxidizer matrix, and ammonium nitrate or ANFO, may also be referred to as blended explosives, blends, or heavy ANFO. 

The foam effect is achieved by the dispersion of inert gas throughout the molten resin directly before moulding. Introduction of the gas is usually carried out by pre-blending the resin with a chemical blowing agent which releases gas when heated, or by direct injection of the gas (usually nitrogen). When the compressed gas/resin mixture is rapidly injected into the mould cavity, the gas expands explosively and forces the material into all parts of the mould. An internal cellular structure is thus formed within a solid skin. 

Solid-Solid Blending of food products, explosives up to 2500 lbs/hr 6 elements placed in a vertical position. 

P.A." Explosives. A variety of expl blends, patented by the firm of Bombrini-Parodi-Delfmo of Rome, consisting of PETN desensitized with pentaerythritol acetate. These expls can be cast below 100°, are less sensitive to shock than PETN, but more sensitive than TNT. Although they are less powerful and brisant than PETN, they are more so than TNT. Their stability is less than that of TNT. Their advantage in comparison with RDX formulations lies in the uniformity of the blend... 

Pieper Explosives. Safety expls patented in 1893—94 in Fr. A blend of aromatic nitro-compds with AN, using a solvent common to both ingredients. The incorporation of a small amt of ale in some expls was recommended. One of these expls was Ronsalite (qv)... 

Pittius Explosives. C. vanPittius of Holland obtd a BritP in 1910 on expls consisting of combustible mats and oxidizers. The combustible constituent is prepd by mixing resin (lOp) and stearin (5p) together at 150°, and incorporating paraffin (lOp) and a blend consisting of TNT (25p) and NG (5p) or NC (3p). Molten TNT (50p) is then added and blended while maint the mixt at 85°. The reddish-brnmixt is termed TNT paste . To use this expl the TNT paste is mixed with oxidizers, viz, a) TNT paste 20, K nitrate 30, amm perchlorate 30 and K perchlorate 20% b) TNT paste 8 and amm nitrate 92%... 

The azide (structure not stated) is not impact-sensitive, but decomposes explosively at 120°C. Blending with 75% of polymer as diluent eliminated the explosive decomposition. 

Dining the blending of the two insecticides (endrin is a halogenated polycyclic epoxide) into a petroleum solvent, an unexpected exothermic reaction occurred which vaporised some solvent and led to a vapour-air explosion. Faulty agitation was suspected. 

Under certain conditions, dry mixtures of lead chromate pigments with the azo-dyes l-(2. 4 -dimtrobenzcncazo)-2-hydroxynaphthalene (dinitroaniline orange) or l-(4 -chloro-2 -nitrobenzcncazo)-2-hydroxynaphthalene (chlorinated para-red) may lead to violent explosions dining mixing/blending operations. 

An explosion occurred during blending and screening operations on a mixture of lead azide and 0.5% of calcium stearate. If free stearic acid were present as impurity in the calcium salt, free hydrogen azide may have been involved. 

An accident occurred in a fuel-blending facility that provided a way to reuse flammable and hazardous wastes. One worker was killed and two others were injured. The explosion and resulting fire caused extensive damage to the facility. 

Elyria, Ohio, USA, Chemical Plant, Explosion/Fire Overheated pump caused explosion in catalyst blending building 5,000,000 loss... 

In April 1995, an explosion and fire at a manufacturing facility in Lodi, New Jersey caused the death of five responders. The explosion occurred while the company was blending aluminum powder, sodium hydrosulfite, and other ingredients. 

On April 21, 1995, an explosion and fire at Napp Technologies in Lodi, New Jersey, killed five employees and destroyed the facility (Figure l).19 The plant was conducting a toll blending operation to produce a commercial gold precipitation agent. The chemicals involved were water reactive (i.e., aluminum powder, a combustible metal in the form of finely divided particles and sodium hydrosulfite, a combustible solid). 

A critical safety issue of using diesel-ethanol blends relates to flashpoint and flammability. E-diesel blends containing 10-15% ethanol have the vapor pressure and flammability limits of ethanol. This means that ethanol concentrations in enclosed spaces such as fuel storage and vehicle fuel tanks are flammable over the temperature range 13-42 °C. Thus, there are higher risks of fire and explosion than with diesel fuel, or even gasoline. Other vehicle performance-related concerns are (a) a decreased maximum power (b) an increased incidence of fuel pump vapor lock and (c) a reduced fuel pump and fuel injector life due to the decreased lubricity of ethanol. 

Dining the preparation of cellular rubber by thermal decomposition of calcium, strontium or barium azides, various additives were necessary to prevent explosive decomposition of the azide in the blended mixture. 

Picric acid and tetryl, both yellow powders, are no longer used by the military, though do-it-yourself books outline the synthesis of picric acid for the would-be criminal/terrorist and tetryl is still found in old munitions. Most of the military explosives are white-colored powders (TNT is cream colored). Since all, but TNT, decompose upon or instead of melting, they require some sort of compounding in order to be shapeable. They can be blended into TNT in a variety of ratios to make the formulations listed in Table 2.3. They can also be formulated in wax or plasticizer. The use of plasticizer is preferred because less dilution of the explosive occurs. (In the world of performance, TNT, with detonation velocity of 6900 m/s is considered a dilutant of HMX, detonation velocity of 9100 m/s.)... 

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