US4585495A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Stable nitrate/slurry explosives
Assignee: Explosives Technologies International Canada Ltd
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Filing: 1985-03-11
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Granted: 1986-04-29
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Expires: 2005-03-11
Abstract
Abstract Explosives that are sensitized blends of inorganic nitrate, e.g., AN, particles, such as AN or ANFO prills, and an aqueous slurry comprising a thickened aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidizing salt, preferably AN, are rendered storage-stable by keeping the slurry's water content low enough, and its viscosity high enough, that the slurry is water-retentive. Water immobilization in the slurry, a requirement for storage stability, is achieved despite the slurry's flowable consistency at the time of blending. A blend containing about 25% slurry or less, is essentially in the form of a granular mass of free-flowing, high-density, slurry-bearing prills, and the slurry is sensitizable by the prills alone. As the slurry content exceeds about 25%, the blend takes on the characteristics of a thick slurry, requiring a supplemental sensitizer in the slurry per se. Slurries containing a nitrogen-base salt of an inorganic oxidizing acid, preferably monomethylamine nitrate, are preferred because this additive affords a saturated solution with lower water content, and also can act as a sensitizer.
Inventors
- 👤 Gordon R. Honeyman
- 👤 II James H. Owen
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-04 18:50
CPC Classifications
C; C06; C06B; C06B45/00; C06B45/12; C06B45/14; C06B47/00; C06B47/14
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
71 words
A storage-stable explosive composition comprising a sensitized blend formed by combining inorganic nitrate particles and an aqueous slurry comprising a thickened aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidizing salt, said slurry's water content and viscosity being restricted so as to make said slurry at once flowable and water-retentive, said slurry constituting about from 5 to 60 percent, and said nitrate particles about from 95 to 40 percent, of said blend by weight.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
71 words
A storage-stable explosive composition comprising a sensitized blend formed by combining inorganic nitrate particles and an aqueous slurry comprising a thickened aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidizing salt, said slurry's water content and viscosity being restricted so as to make said slurry at once flowable and water-retentive, said slurry constituting about from 5 to 60 percent, and said nitrate particles about from 95 to 40 percent, of said blend by weight.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
An explosive composition of claim 1 wherein said inorganic nitrate particles are ammonium nitrate (AN) prills, ANFO prills, or a combination thereof, and said inorganic oxidizing salt in said thickened aqueous solution comprises AN alone or in combination with sodium nitrate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
22 words
An explosive composition of claim 2 wherein said particles are AN prills, and said blend contains sufficient fuel to oxygen-balance said prills.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
15 words
An explosive composition of claim 3 wherein said blend contains a particulate solid carbonaceous fuel.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
An explosive composition of claim 2 wherein said aqueous slurry contains up to about 25 percent of water by weight, and a thickener in an amount sufficient to impart to said slurry a viscosity in the range of about from 80 to 3000 poise.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
20 words
An explosive composition of claim 5 wherein said thickener is at least one member of the group consisting of galactomannans.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
An explosive composition of claim 6 wherein at least a part of said thickener is hydroxypropyl guar gum, and oil is a dispersed phase in said thickened aqueous solution.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
An explosive composition of claim 5 wherein said blend is a granular mass of slurry-bearing prills containing up to about 25 percent of said slurry by weight.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
17 words
An explosive composition of claim 8 wherein said blend is sensitized by the voids in said prills.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
15 words
An explosive composition of claim 8 wherein said thickener in said blended slurry is crosslinked.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
30 words
An explosive composition of claim 9 wherein said aqueous slurry contains a dissolved nitrogen-base salt of an inorganic oxidizing acid and up to about 17 percent of water by weight.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
15 words
An explosive composition of claim 11 wherein said nitrogen-base salt is present in slurry-sensitizing amounts.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
44 words
An explosive composition of claim 5 wherein said blend contains about from 25 to 60 percent of said slurry by weight, up to about 17 percent of water by weight, and a sensitizing amount of a dissolved nitrogen-base salt of an inorganic oxidizing acid.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
15 words
An explosive composition of claim 13 wherein said thickener in said blended slurry is crosslinked.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
53 words
In a method of preparing an explosive composition by mixing inorganic nitrate particles with an aqueous slurry comprising a guar-thickened aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidizing salt to form a sensitized blend of said particles and said slurry, the improvement comprising crosslinking said guar after said mixing, whereby a storage-stable blend is formed.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
In a method of preparing an explosive composition by mixing inorganic nitrate particles with an aqueous slurry comprising a guar-thickened aqueous solution of an inorganic oxidizing salt to form a sensitized blend of said particles and said slurry, the improvement comprising crosslinking said guar after said mixing, whereby a storage-stable blend is formed.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
18 words
A method of claim 15 wherein said slurry's water content is up to about 25 percent by weight.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US4380482A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
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| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-04-28 | 1989-10-28 | 1990-04-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-04-28 | 1993-10-28 | 1994-04-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-04-28 | 1997-10-28 | 1998-04-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |