Handling bombs

Extreme safety precautions must be exercized in handling bombs(especially GP LC bombs) and protecting them from shock or heat. Containers should not be tumbled, dragged, thrown, dropped on each other or rolled on the floor. Bombs equipped with shipping bands may be rolled if care is exercized... 

Low molecular weight ether hydroperoxides are similarly dangerous and therefore ethers should be tested for peroxides and any peroxidic products removed from them before ethers are distilled or evaporated to dryness. Many ethers autoxidize so readily that peroxidic compounds form at dangerous levels when stored in containers that are not airtight (133). Used ether containers should be handled cautiously and if they are found to contain hazardous soHd ether peroxides, bomb-squad assisted disposal may be required (134). ZeoHtes have been used for removal of peroxide impurities from ethers (135). 

A solution of sulfur trioxide [7446-11-9] dissolved in chlorosulfonic acid [7990-94-5] CISO H, has been used as a smoke (U.S. designation FS) but it is not a U.S. standard agent (see Chlorosulfuric acid Sulfuric acid and sulfur trioxide). When FS is atomized in air, the sulfur trioxide evaporates from the small droplets and reacts with atmospheric moisture to form sulfuric acid vapor. This vapor condenses into minute droplets that form a dense white cloud. FS produces its effect almost instantaneously upon mechanical atomization into the atmosphere, except at very low temperatures. At such temperatures, the small amount of moisture normally present in the atmosphere, requires that FS be thermally generated with the addition of steam to be effective. FS can be used as a fill for artillery and mortar shells and bombs and can be effectively dispersed from low performance aircraft spray tanks. FS is both corrosive and toxic in the presence of moisture, which imposes limitations on its storage, handling, and use. 

Polychlorotrifluoroethylene was the first fluorinated polymer to be produced on an experimental scale and polymers were used in Germany and in the United States early in World War II. PCTFE was used, in particular, in connection with the atomic bomb project in the handling of corrosive materials such as uranium hexafluoride. 

In an attempt to develop the hydrogen bomb before the Russians, a second weapons laboratory , Lawrence Livermore, was established in July 1952 to handle the additional work that would be necessaiy to stay ahead of the Russian nuclear weapons program. The administrator chosen was the University of California. Eor the next forty-five years, this LLNL was a formidable competitor to Los Alamos in the development of nuclear weapons. But much like most of the other major national laboratories, its focus also shifted away from nuclear weapons to basic science to fields like magnetic and laser fusion energy, non-nuclear energy, biomedicine, and environmental science. By the late 1990s, half of the laboratoi y s budget was nonde-fense related as the shift away from nuclear weapons continued. 

Nitrogen trifluoride is a kinetically inert gas, but when sparked or heated can fluorinate substrates and release nitrogen. Sulfur, for example, is quantitatively converted to SF using NF3 at 5 atm (231). Similarly, boron is converted to BF3 (159) and CF3CN to CF4 (232). Nitrogen trifluoride has some advantages over difluorine. It is safer to handle, and double-compartment bombs to avoid self-ignition are not required. However, some self-dissociation has to be measured and corrections made. 

Much of the discussion of oxygen flame calorimetry presented in section 7.3 is directly applicable to fluorine flame calorimetry. As in the case of bomb calorimetry, however, the special properties of fluorine combustion systems and problems associated with handling fluorine require a somewhat different experimental method [109,115,116]. Thus, for example, a metal burner should be used. Also, the fact that the mixing of many gases with F2 may lead to spontaneous ignition hinders the use of a premixed flame. Fluorine combustion calorimetry has been used to study the thermochemistry of important reactions, such as... 

C.R. Newhouser and P.M. Dougherty, Explosive Handling Kit Technical Bulletin 33-72, National Bomb Data Center, US Department of Justice, Gaithersburg, MD, USA, 1972. 

Apart from the safety issues normally associated with any chemistry laboratory, there are a number of specific issues associated with explosives and bomb scene examination. An obvious point is the hazards associated with handling and storage of explosives most countries have strict regulations covering this area, and compliance is mandatory. This is not a trivial matter as it is common to receive unknown and unidentified materials, or items that have been subject to physical abuse. 

Less obvious are the biological and toxicological hazards from bomb scene debris. Apart from the possibility that malefactors may deliberately incorporate noxious substances in their devices, hazards can be generated from the scene itself For example, victims may have been suffering from an infectious disease, and so victims clothing (which is often soaked in blood) needs to be handled and stored with proper biohazard precautions. Scene debris may also contain dismembered body parts. 

It should be noted that a detonator, by itself, cannot initiate a large quantity of an insensitive HE (TNT, PA or Comp B), which is used as a filler for projectiles, bombs, mines, etc. Such HE s must not be too sensitive in order not to create hazard in handling and transportation. They could be,however, initiated by a very powerful detonator, such as contg a large quantity of a sensitive explosive such as LA, LSt or MF. This would also be undesirable because handling and transportation of large quantities of such expls is very hazardous... 

Although many pyrotechnic items, such as flares, aircraft signals, simulators and photoflash bombs are released from aircraft and are actually bombs, only photoflash bombs are classified as bombs and stored with bombs and not with pyrotechnic items. The reason for this is that the fillin g of photoflash bombs is explosive and such bombs are hazardous to handle. Another reason is that they resemble in appearance conventional aircraft bombs... 

Its dimensions, weight, primer, detonator, and booster are identical with those of M130A1 fuze. The fuze is provided with an antidisturbance device which is very sensitive and, when the fuze is fully armjed, the bomb is very dangerous to handle and no attempt should be made to disarm it. 

Inert fuzes are provided for training ground crews in assembling handling of bombs, and also for classroom instruction of ordnance personnel. These fuzes are standard items, except that explosive components (primers, detonators, delay relay elements and boosters) are removed (Ref 51a, p 4-107)... 

Training bombs were used for training in handling ... 

Because flammable liquid materials ate not convenient to handle, attempts were made to convert them into a solid state. During WWI solid oils had already been prepd by treating the petroleum distillates with sodium stearate or other materials, but they were used only in some incendiary bombs, shells, Li yen s drams and trench stoves, and not in flame throwers... 

Green Powder (French Anarchist s Explosive). During the assaults conducted by these revolutionists, the following expl of the Ched-dite type was used in some bombs FCClOg 49, K4 Fe(CN) 28 Sugar 23. Due to its extreme sensitiviry, the expl was dangerous to handle... 

Military explosives comprise explosives and explosive compositions or formulations that are used in military munitions (bombs, shells, torpedoes, grenades, missile or rocket warheads). The bulk charges (secondary explosives) in these munitions are insensitive to some extent and are, therefore, safe for handling, storage and transportation. They are set off by means of an explosive train consisting of an initiator followed by intermediates or boosters. 

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