The manufacture of dynamites

Methods for the manufacture of raw materials of requisite purity for nitroglycerine, nitroglycol and nitrodiethylene glycol production and for dynamite collodion cotton have already been described (Vol. II, pp. 87, 145, 152 and 409). 

The oxidizing agents, such as sodium or potassium nitrates, were described in the section on blackpowder (p. 342) and ammonium nitrate in Vol. II, p. 450. 

The other ingredients should meet the requirements for commercial products of high purity. Salts should be dried and milled. 

Collodion cotton is supplied wet to dynamite factories with a water content up to 30-35%. Some factories use it directly in this form, although the presence of water is detrimental to the uniformity of the gel produced. In the majority of factories nitrocellulose is dried before use. 

The dynamite ingredients are mixed with a solution of collodion cotton in nitroglycerine prepared separately or in a mixture of nitroglycerine with nitroglycol. The drying and milling of the ingredients are preparatory operations. 

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Uses. As an explosive usually mixed with nitroglycerin (NG) in the manufacture of dynamite... 

Dissolution of collodion cotton. The collodion cotton used for the manufacture of dynamite gives solutions of very high viscosity. Since it dissolves very slowly, to avoid delays in production, dissolution is usually divided into two stages, viz. initial dissolution and mixing. 

For the manufacture of dynamites, kneaders of the Werner-Pfleiderer type may also be employed. They are widely used in the manufacture of smokeless powder (Fig. 206). Drais kneaders however, have the advantage over the Werner-Pfleiderer type in that they are safer to handle, and hence more suitable for mixing materials sensitive to friction and impact, such as dynamites. 

Practical application has been achieved only in the U.S.A. where a mixture of nitrated saccharose with nitroglycerine has found some use. In order to produce such an explosive, a mixture containing 20-25% of saccharose and 75-80% of glycerine is nitrated to produce an oily nitration product [24]. This material was used for the manufacture of dynamite instead of pure nitroglycerine. A mixture of this kind was commercially produced in U.S.A. on economic grounds, namely saccharose was cheaper than glycerine [25]. 

Liquid nitroglycerin is still used as an explosive to a limited extent, particularly in the blasting of oil wells, but its principal use is in the manufacture of dynamite and of the propellants, ballistite and cordite. 

Uses Nitroglycerin (or glyceryltrinitrate) is a pale yellow, oily liquid also available in the form of rhombic crystals. It is highly explosive. It is used in combination with ethylene glycol dinitrite in the manufacture of dynamites, explosives, rocket propellants, smokeless powders, and guncotton. 

A vegetable meal used as an absorbent for nitroglycerine in the manufacture of dynamites (See),... 

To make the manufacture of dynamite less dangerous, A.Sobrerosuggests to stir infusorial earth with water into a dough, form it into shapes of suitable... 

The manufacture of dynamites Raw materials Mixing of ingredients Dissolution of collodion cotton Cartridging Thawing of dynamites... 

Kieselguhr is used for the manufacture of dynamite. It consists of diatoms which are capable of absorbing considerable quantities of nitroglycerine or other liquids. It is obtainable commercially in... 

The fortune of Alfred Nobel, 1833-1896, built on the manufacture of dynamite, now funds the Nobel Prizes. 

The infiisorial earth used as absorbent for nitro- lycodnc is found in iuany places, but that occurring in an extensive layer near Oberohe (province of Hanover) is particularly fine and suitable for the manufacture of dynamite. 

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