Explosives particle size

Explosion, Particle Size Effect in. See Detonation, Particle Size Effect ip. See Vol 4 pp D465-L to D466-L... 

Explosive Stimulus Transfer. Under a program to develop a technique to compute probability of detonation transfer between a donor and an acceptor, experiments were performed to measure the effects of seven variables. These included two donor parameters fragment slack energy and five acceptor parameters confinement, closure thickness, explosive material, explosive particle size and closure material... 

Gas AntisolventRecrystallizations. A limitation to the RESS process can be the low solubihty in the supercritical fluid. This is especially evident in polymer—supercritical fluid systems. In a novel process, sometimes termed gas antisolvent (GAS), a compressed fluid such as CO2 can be rapidly added to a solution of a crystalline soHd dissolved in an organic solvent (114). Carbon dioxide and most organic solvents exhibit full miscibility, whereas in this case the soHd solutes had limited solubihty in CO2. Thus, CO2 acts as an antisolvent to precipitate soHd crystals. Using C02 s adjustable solvent strength, the particle size and size distribution of final crystals may be finely controlled. Examples of GAS studies include the formation of monodisperse particles (<1 fiva) of a difficult-to-comminute explosive (114) recrystallization of -carotene and acetaminophen (86) salt nucleation and growth in supercritical water (115) and a study of the molecular thermodynamics of the GAS crystallization process (21). 

The energy required to initiate an explosion and the maximum explosive pressure developed by a number of polyester—epoxy powder coatings has been studied in some detail (89). The variables studied included composition, level and type of pigmentation, particle size, and concentration in air. The lowest MEG for unfilled and unpigmented powders was 33—35 g/m. ... 

Many finely divided metal powders in suspension in air are potential e] losion hazards, and causes for ignition of such dust clouds are numerous [Hartmann and Greenwald, Min. MetalL, 26, 331 (1945)]. Concentration of the dust in air and its particle size are important fac tors that determine explosibility. Below a lower Umit of concentration, no explosion can result because the heat of combustion is insufficient to propagate it. Above a maximum limiting concentration, an explosion cannot be produced because insufficient oxygen is available. The finer the particles, the more easily is ignition accomplished and the more rapid is the rate of combustion. This is illustrated in Fig. 20-7. 

If it is assumed that explosible dust will be present above the MEC, and equipment design data are not required, explosibility testing forP g, and Kg usually has no direct application. However, minimum ignition energy (MIE) testing should be considered to help determine the likelihood of ignition. Since MIE is extremely sensitive to particle size it is especially important to test a sample that is sufficiently fine to represent the worst credible case. 

Solids handling frequently has the potential for dusting, which can lead to potential health and explosion hazards. Handling solids in the form of larger particle size granules or pellets rather than a fine powder reduces the potential for worker exposure. Worker exposure hazards are reduced by formulating dyes as liquids or wet pastes rather than dry solids or powders (Burch, 1986). 

When a flammable liquid is sprayed as fine droplets into the air, a flammable mixture can result, which may burn or explode. The mist or spray may be formed by condensation of saturated vapors or by mechanical means [40]. As the particle sizes of the liquid become greater than 0.01 mm diameter, the lower flammability limit of the material becomes lower while above 0.01 mm, the LEL is about the same as the vapor. Mechanical engine crankcase explosions of oil mist in air are hazardous, and current practice is to apply explosion relief valves to the crankcase. 

Unfortunately, rate of pressure rise and maximum explosion pressure listed in Table 7-31 are subject to uniqueness of the test conditions and are the function of particle size, dust concentration and uniformity, available... 

Material Median particle size, pm Minimum explosive concentration g/m= p max bar ga (dp/dt)max> ba r/sec Ksi bar-m sec Dust Hazard Class... 

Material Median particle size, Mm Minimum explosive concentration g/m3 P oux bar ga (dP/dl)max, bar/sec KSt Dust bar-m Hazard sec Class ... 

Dusts, particle sizes, 225 Dusts, hazard class, 521-523 Explosion characteristics, 524 Efficiency, centrifugal pumps, 200 Ejector control, 380 Ejector systems, 343, 344, 351 Air inleakage, table, 366, 367 Applications, 345 Calculations, 359-366 Chilled water refrigeration, 350 Comparison guide, 357, 375 Evacuation lime, 380, 381 Charts, 382 Example, 381 Features, 345... 

PARTICLE SIZE MEASUREMENTS OF SOLID PROPELLANTS, EXPLOSIVES, AND PYROTECHNICS... 

Liquid Sedimentation Techniques for Measuring the Particle-Size Distribution of Primary Explosives , PATR 4387 (1972) 42) Anon, Stan-... 

All combustible solids can create a dust explosion hazard if dispersed in air as a fine dust within certain concentration limits. Refer to Table 6.2. The hazard increases with decreasing particle size. 

Increasing the surface area of a combustible solid enhances the ease of ignition. Hence dust burns more rapidly than the corresponding bulk solid combustion of dust layers can result in rapid flame spread by train firing . Solid particles less than about 10 pm in diameter settle slowly in air and comprise float dust (see p. 51 for settling velocities). Such particles behave, in some ways, similarly to gas and, if the solid is combustible, a flammable dust-air mixture can form within certain limits. Larger particles also take part, since there is a distribution of particle sizes, and ignition can result in a dust explosion. 

D. Dust explosion covers for the possibility of a dust explosion. The degree of risk is largely determined by the particle size. The penalty factor varies from 0.25 for particles above 175 pm, to 2.0 for particles below 75 pm. 

The finely powdered silicide is a significant dust explosion hazard [1]. The lower explosion limit for a calcium-silicon dust cloud of mean particle size 9.7 pm was measured as 79 g/m3, in good agreement with a calculated value [2], Other dust cloud parameters are presented and related to predictions [3],... 

The powdered oxidant functions as an explosive when mixed with finely divided metals, organic materials or sulfur, which increase the shock-sensitivity up to that of picric acid [1]. The hazardous properties of such mixtures increase as the particle size of the oxidant salt decreases [2],... 

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