Water-based explosives

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Water-based explosives
Chemical composition
Explosive components Nitrate solution
Other components
  • Sensitizers
  • Oils, wax
Physical Properties
Density
g / cm³ 		about 1.25
Oxygen balance
% 		−0.06 to −3.9
Steam volume
l / kg 		approx. 850 to 940
Specific energy
(l • MPa) / kg 		approx. 900 to 950
Detonation velocity
m / s 		approx. 5000 to 5200
Explosion temperature
K 		unknown
Property comparison
Explosiveness medium
Ignition sensitivity very low
Steam volume high
price low
credentials

Water-containing explosives are a sub-group of commercial explosives and are mainly used to detonate rocks. The water-based explosives were developed in the mid-1970s and are gradually replacing the gelatinous explosives . Like these, the water-containing explosives are also among the explosives .

composition

Water-containing explosives are divided into two main groups:

Like the gelatinous explosives, the water-containing explosives also consist mainly of a nitrate solution (mainly ammonium nitrate).

Watergels

Watergels consist of a heterogeneous mixture of substances ( suspension ) of water-soluble and water-insoluble substances in a saturated, thickened inorganic nitrate solution (mainly ammonium nitrate ). The introduction of other water-soluble and water-insoluble substances (fuels such as water-soluble ethylene glycol ) creates the explosive explosive, which can also be used as an additional oxygen supplier, for example perchlorates . Watergels have a significantly higher vapor volume than emulsion explosives (approx. + 10%).

Emulsion explosives

Emulsion explosives are water in oil emulsions. Here, fine droplets of aqueous inorganic nitrates (mostly ammonium nitrate) are surrounded by a very thin film of fuel (oil, wax, etc.), around which there is an oily outer layer. The oily outer layer makes emulsion explosives very water-resistant. The emulsion explosives have a slightly higher energy content than the watergels.

properties

The water-containing explosives have on average the characteristic values ​​given in the adjacent table.

Water-containing explosives are, as the gelatinous explosives, from the explosive between the brisanteren military and less explosive powdered explosives and generate steam medium volume. Water-based explosives were developed to replace gelatinous explosives. Because of the higher proportion of carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO x ) in gelatinous explosives, a longer exposure time must be taken into account .

application

Water-based explosives can be used above and below the ground. The water-containing explosives can currently replace the gelatinous explosives in many, but not all, areas of application. Hydrous explosives as the gelatinous explosives by an initial ignition (a, for example, or more explosive strong igniter ) for an explosive reaction accommodated.

Juxtaposition

Gelatinous explosives have the advantage of higher performance and higher density than water-based explosives . Water-based explosives are significantly less sensitive to impact and friction than gelatinous explosives.

literature

  • Josef Köhler, Rudolf Meyer, Axel Homburg: Explosives. Tenth completely revised edition, John Wiley & Sons, Weinheim 2012, ISBN 3-527-66007-0 .

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Association of Sprengewugten Austria (Ed.): Der Sprengbefugte, official organ of the Association of Sprengefugten Austria, Heinz Krätschmer in "Wasserhaltige Sprengstoffe - Substitute for gelatinous Sprengstoffeß", p. 10 ff, No. 176 (June 2012).

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