Aqueous slurry explosive containing a nitratoalkanolamine nitrate sensitizer

Claim 2

An explosive of claim 2, containing a thickening amount of a thickener therefor, and aerated sufficiently to regulate the absolute density thereof at a level not exceeding about 99 percent of the theoretical.

Claim 3

An explosive of claim 3 aerated by the presence of gas filled hollow spheres.

Claim 4

An explosive of claim 3 containing as said sensitizer at least one of the group of mono-, bis-, and tris-, (2-nitratoethyl)ammonium nitrates.

Claim 5

An explosive of claim 5 wherein said sensitizer comprises 2-nitratoethylammonium nitrate.

Claim 6

An explosive of claim 5 containing on a weight basis from 10 to 40 percent water, and from 35 to 85 percent of said salt.

Claim 7

An explosive of claim 7 containing a supplemental fuel.

Claim 8

An explosive of claim 8 containing on a weight basis from 12 to 30 percent water, from 5 to 25 percent of said supplemental fuel, from 45 to 70 percent of said salt, from 3 to 50 percent of said sensitizer, and not exceeding about 2 percent of a crosslinked gelation agent as said thickener.

Claim 9

An explosive of claim 7 wherein said salt is at least one of the group of alkylamine nitrates, alkanolaminenitrates, and ammonium nitrate.

Claim 10

In an explosive of claim 10, said salt comprising ammonium nitrate in at least major proportion.

Claim 11

An explosive of claim 11 containing sodium nitrate as an oxidizer salt.

Claim 12

An explosive of claim 6 wherein the proportion of said sensitizer is at least about 30 percent and said thickener is hydroxyethylcellulose in crosslinked form.

Claim 13

An explosive of claim 6 wherein the proportion of said sensitizer does not exceed about 30 percent, and said thickener comprises guar gum and/or an acrylic type thickener.

Claim 14

An explosive of claim 9, containing from 5 to 35 weight percent 2-nitratoethylammonium nitrate as said sensitizer.

Claim 15

An explosive of claim 9 contaiNing ethylene glycol as said supplemental fuel.

Claim 16

A process for the manufacture of an aqueous solution phase for an aqueous slurry salt explosive, wherein said solution phase contains sensitizer and salt components dissolved therein for said explosive, including a sensitizing amount of said sensitizer, said process comprising reacting at least one of the group of alkanolamine nitrates and alkanolamines as a precursor for said sensitizer, with aqueous 90 to 98 percent HNO3 present in stoichiometric excess to form nitratoalkanolamine nitrate product as said sensitizer component; adding an alkaline neutralization agent to the resulting aqueous sensitizer containing reaction mixture to neutralize the excess HNO3 therein to form water-soluble nitrate neutralization product as said salt component; introducing water into the zone of at least one of said sensitizer forming-, and neutralization-, reactions at any time to provide a total water content in the resulting neutralization reaction mixture not exceeding that required for said explosive but sufficient to dissolve at least a sensitizing amount of said sensitizer and at least a part of said salt, therefor; and recovering resulting aqueous solution product.

Claim 17

A process of claim 17 wherein said precursor is an ethanolamine nitrate of the group of mono-, bis-, and tris-, ethanolamine nitrates, and wherein said neutralizing agent is one of the group of free ammonia, alkylamines, alkanolamines, ammonium hydroxide, and alkali metal- and alkaline earth metal-, alkaline reacting neutralization agents.

Claim 18

A process of claim 18 wherein said HNO3 is introduced into the sensitizer-forming zone in an equivalent ratio to the alcohol moiety of said ethanolamine nitrate of at least 2:1.

Claim 19

A process for the manufacture of an aqueous slurry salt explosive containing, as a sensitizing component, a nitratoalkanolamine nitrate, soluble, and dissolved in sensitizing amount in the aqueous solution phase, comprising forming an aqueous solution phase product in accordance with the process of claim 17, and mixing the remaining ingredients for said explosive with said product solution.

Claim 20

A process of claim 20 wherein said precursor is an ethanolamine nitrate of the group of mono-, bis-, and tris-, ethanolamine nitrates.

Claim 21

A process of claim 21 wherein said ethanolamine nitrate is monoethanolamine nitrate.

Claim 22

A process of claim 22 wherein said HNO3 is introduced into contact with said monoethanolamine nitrate in an equivalent ratio to the alcohol moiety thereof with the range of 4:1 to 7:1.