Patent US4093478A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4093478A
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US
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Activated ammonium nitrate explosive composition
Assignee: KINEPAK Inc
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Filing: 1977-01-17
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Granted: 1978-06-06
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Expires: 1997-01-17
Abstract
Abstract An economical and effective explosive composition is manufactured by combining appropriate proportions of activated ammonium nitrate, a fuel and preferably a sensitizer. The preferred fuel is a liquid hydrocarbon derivative or a liquid or solid hydrocarbon derivative which is soluble in the sensitizer and which has a fuel value greater than that of the sensitizer. The preferred sensitizers are nitroalkane, or dinitroaromatic compounds most preferably nitromethane. The explosive composition is made more effective through an activation procedure upon the ammonium nitrate. The ammonium nitrate utilized with the present invention is in the form of prills, porous spherical pellets. These prills can be activated by adding a small amount of water to the prills, thoroughly mixing the water so that it is all absorbed, heating the prills to an elevated temperature, evaporating the water from the prills, and then preferably cooling the prills.
Inventors
- 👤 Gerald L. Hurst
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 23:03
CPC Classifications
C; C06; C06B; C06B47/00; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S102/00; Y10S102/705
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 26
Claim 1
Independent Claim
98 words
An explosive mixture comprising: activated porous ammonium nitrate prills which have a bulk density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter and which have been activated by combining a minor nondissolving proportion of a solvent with ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density of greater than about 0.80 and thereafter heating the prills to an elevated temperature and evaporating substantially all of the solvent from the prills, a fuel selected from a liquid hydrocarbon derivative having an oxygen equivalent weight less than about 4 grams per equivalent, said mixture detonable by a commercial number 6 cap.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
98 words
An explosive mixture comprising: activated porous ammonium nitrate prills which have a bulk density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter and which have been activated by combining a minor nondissolving proportion of a solvent with ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density of greater than about 0.80 and thereafter heating the prills to an elevated temperature and evaporating substantially all of the solvent from the prills, a fuel selected from a liquid hydrocarbon derivative having an oxygen equivalent weight less than about 4 grams per equivalent, said mixture detonable by a commercial number 6 cap.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
13 words
The mixture of claim 1 further comprising: an organic compound containing N-O bonds.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
The mixture of claim 2 wherein said explosive mixture has a composition within the area bounded by the polygon A', C', D', E', F', G', H', J', K' on the accompanying drawing, said fuel comprising xylene, said nitroalkane comprising nitromethane.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The mixture of claim 2 wherein the ammonium nitrate has an oil retention of greater than about 10% by weight.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
26 words
The mixture of claim 4 wherein the fuel is an aromatic hydrocarbon selected from aromatic hydrocarbons having less than about 9 carbon atoms and petroleum naphthas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
21 words
The mixture of claim 4 wherein the organic compound containing N-O bonds is a nitroalkane having less than 4 carbon atoms.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method of claim 6 wherein the organic compound containing N-O bonds is dinitrotoluene oil.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
18 words
The mixture of claim 5 wherein the aromatic hydrocarbon is selected from xylene, toluene, benzene and mixtures thereof.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
10 words
The mixture of claim 8 wherein the nitroalkane is nitromethane.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
27 words
The explosive mixture of claim 2 wherein the fuel is selected from lower aromatics and substituted aromatics having less than about 9 carbon atoms and petroleum naphthas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
13 words
The mixture of claim 2 wherein the compound containing N-O bonds is nitromethane.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
20 words
The mixture of claim 11 wherein less than 50% of an oxygen balancing amount of fuel is supplied by nitromethane.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
43 words
The mixture of claim 12 wherein less than about 20% of an oxygen balacing amount of nitromethane is utilized and wherein greater than about 60% of an oxygen balancing amount of a fuel selected from xylene, benzene, toluene and petroleum naphthas is utilized.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
45 words
An explosive mixture consisting essentially of: activated ammonium nitrate prills having a density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter, and a liquid fuel selected from a hydrocarbon derivative having an oxygen equivalent weight of less than about 4 grams per oxygen equivalent.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
45 words
An explosive mixture consisting essentially of: activated ammonium nitrate prills having a density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter, and a liquid fuel selected from a hydrocarbon derivative having an oxygen equivalent weight of less than about 4 grams per oxygen equivalent.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
12 words
The mixture of claim 14 wherein said fuel is an aromatic hydrocarbon.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
86 words
The mixture of claim 14 wherein said ammonium nitrate prills are produced by combining ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density greater than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter with a minor nondissolving proportion of a solvent for ammonium nitrate prills and thereafter heating the prills to an elevated temperature and evaporating substantially all of the solvent therefrom to yield the activated porous ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density of less than 0.80 and having an oil retention of greater than about 10% by weight.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
23 words
The mixture of claim 16 wherein said fuel is selected from aromatic hydrocarbons having less than about 9 carbon atoms and petroleum naphthas.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
41 words
An explosive mixture consisting essentially of activated ammonium nitrate prills which have a density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter, and a liquid comprising an organic compound containing N-O bonds which liquid is absorbed by said ammonium nitrate.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
41 words
An explosive mixture consisting essentially of activated ammonium nitrate prills which have a density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter, and a liquid comprising an organic compound containing N-O bonds which liquid is absorbed by said ammonium nitrate.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
98 words
The mixture of claim 18 wherein said ammonium nitrate prills are produced by combining ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density greater than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter with a minor nondissolving proportion of a solvent for ammonium nitrate prills, that proportion being insufficient to destroy the spherical form of the prills and thereafter heating the prills to an elevated temperature and evaporating substantially all of the solvent therefrom to yield the activated porous ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density of less than 0.80 and having an oil retention of greater than about 10% by weight.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
25 words
The explosive mixture of claim 19 wherein said organic compound is selected from a nitroalkane having less than about 4 carbon atoms and dinitrotoluene oil.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
58 words
An explosive mixture consisting essentially of activated porous ammonium nitrate prills which have a bulk density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter, a liquid sensitizer comprising an organic compound containing N-O bonds, and a liquid fuel selected from a hydrocarbon derivative having an oxygen equivalent weight of less than about 4 grams per oxygen equivalent.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
58 words
An explosive mixture consisting essentially of activated porous ammonium nitrate prills which have a bulk density of less than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter, a liquid sensitizer comprising an organic compound containing N-O bonds, and a liquid fuel selected from a hydrocarbon derivative having an oxygen equivalent weight of less than about 4 grams per oxygen equivalent.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
87 words
The mixture of claim 21 wherein said ammonium nitrate prills are produced by combining ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density greater than about 0.80 grams per cubic centimeter with a minor nondissolving proportion of a solvent for ammonium nitrate prills and thereafter heating the prills to an elevated temperature and evaporating substantially all of the solvent therefrom to yield the activated porous ammonium nitrate prills having a bulk density of less than about 0.80 and having an oil retention of greater than about 10% by weight.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3279965A
Cited
US3133844A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-05 | 1981-12-05 | 1982-06-06 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-05 | 1985-12-05 | 1986-06-06 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-05 | 1989-12-05 | 1990-06-06 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |