Imperial Chemical Industries Limited

Orica International Pte Ltd

John Cooper

Ian John Kirby

Vladimir Sujansky

James D Birchall

Frederick A Waite

James A Enever

Derek A Palgrave

Colin A Mumme-Young

Johann Zank

Mark Stuart Rayson

James Walter

David S Reid

Alan S Baker

Sek Kwan Chan

Richard Goodridge

Simon James Ferguson

Ian R Cameron

Robert D Gregson

Vladmir Sujansky

Ian Jojn Kirby

A method of characterizing the structure of a void sensitized liquid energetic material, which method comprises defining the material in terms distribution function, the distribution function representing the fraction of liquid energetic material that occurs at a given point within the void sensitized liquid energetic material.

Method of characterising the structure of a void sensitized explosive composition

An explosive composition comprising a liquid energetic material and sensitizing voids, wherein the sensitizing voids are present in the liquid energetic material with a non-random distribution, wherein the liquid energetic material comprises (a) regions in which the sensitizing voids are sufficiently concentrated to render those regions detonable and (b) regions in which the sensitizing voids are not so concentrated and wherein the explosive composition does not contain ammonium nitrate prill.

Explosive composition

A method of producing an explosive composition comprising a liquid energetic material and sensitizing voids, the sensitizing voids being present in the liquid energetic material with a non-random distribution, which method comprises: providing a flow of liquid energetic material; and delivering sensitizing voids into the flow of liquid energetic material in a series of pulses to provide regions in the liquid energetic material in which sensitizing voids are sufficiently concentrated to render those regions detonable and regions in the liquid energetic material in which the sensitizing voids are not so concentrated.

Method of producing an explosive emulsion composition

A mobile manufacturing and delivery platform that is adapted to provide in a blasthole an explosive composition comprising a liquid energetic material and sensitizing voids, the sensitizing voids being present in the liquid energetic material with a non-random distribution. The platform comprises a storage tank for the liquid energetic material; at least two delivery lines for conveying respective streams of the liquid energetic material from the storage tank; a void delivery system for producing sensitizing voids in at least one of the streams of liquid energetic material; a mixer for mixing the streams of liquid energetic material to produce the explosive composition; and a blasthole loading hose. The mixer may be provided at the end of the loading hose. A blasting method employs the platform to manufacture and deliver the explosive composition into a blasthole, which composition is subsequently detonated.

Explosive composition manufacturing and delivery platform, and blasting method

A multi-component grouting system having at least one component wherein the active ingredient is contained in the dispersed phase of a water-in-oil emulsion, the oil providing an effective barrier against mixing of the components thereby enabling the components to be stored indefinitely in direct contact. The components may advantageously be encapsulated in a single compartment frangible casing for insertion into drillholes in rock. The grouting systems may be based on compositions comprising hardenable resins, Portland cement, Plaster of Paris, zinc oxide/zinc chloride, or sodium silicate. By eliminating the usual plastics film barrier between the grouting system components, intimate mixing of the components in a drillhole by rotation of the bolt to be fixed inthe drillhole may be more easily and reliably effected.

Multi-component grouting system

An emulsion explosive composition comprising a discontinuous phase containing an oxygen-supplying component and an organic medium forming a continuous phase wherein the oxygen-supplying component and organic medium are capable of forming an emulsion which, in the absence of a supplementary adjuvant, exhibits an electrical conductivity measured at 60.degree. C., not exceeding 60,000 picomhos/meter. Such conductivity may be achieved by inclusion of a modifier. The compositions exhibit improved storage characteristics.

Emulsion explosive composition

The invention relates to a new explosive compound which is an associated compound of ammonium nitrate and glycine and also includes explosive composition containing this compound. The compound ANGC is prepared by a crystallization process preferably effected by cooling a melt or saturated solution containing ammonium nitrate and glycine. ANGC is especially advantageous as an ingredient of low water content emulsion explosive compositions.

Explosive compound comprising ammonium nitrate and glycine

A method and apparatus for improving the quality of an emulsion explosive composition by selecting an electrical characteristic of the composition, establishing a predetermined range of values therefor, measuring the selected characteristic of the composition and, in response to a measured characteristic outwith the predetermined range, diverting, or treating the composition to restore the selected characteristic to within the predetermined range. Suitable characteristics include conductivity and capacitance, and the technique may be employed in a static location or on a mobile carrier.

Method for improving the quality of an emulsion explosive composition

This invention provides a solid explosive composition comprising a low-water content melt-in-fuel emulsion when prepared at elevated temperature which solidifies on cooling. The emulsion comprises a continuous phase containing water immiscible fuel and emulsifier and a discontinuous phase containing oxidizer salt. A particulate material effective as a nucleating agent is incorporated in the composition to reduce supercooling of the discontinuous phase and to accelerate crystallization of the oxidizer salt. The particulate nucleating agent is preferably colloidal solid particles for example silica or an insoluble salt of aluminium, calcium or barium, which salt may optionally be formed in situ by a double decomposition reaction. The presence of the nucleating agent to accelerate crystallization of the oxidizer enhances the proportion of discrete droplets which remain totally encapsulated in the solidified composition and enables solid products to be obtained from relatively low melting oxidizer salts melts.

Solid explosive composition

An emulsion explosive composition comprising a discontinuous phase containing an oxygen-supplying phase wherein the discontinuous phase additionally comprises a crystal growth-inhibitor. The compositions exhibit improved storage characteristics.

An emulsion explosive composition comprising an oxygen-supplying salt component as a discontinuous phase, an organic medium forming a continuous phase and a stabilizer which comprises a polycyclic hydrocarbon. Suitable stabilizers include sterols, such as cholesterol. The compositions, which may also include a conventional emulsifier, exhibit small diameter cap-sensitivity and improved storage characteristics.

A fluid fertilizer composition based essentially on potassium chloride and an ammonium phosphate prepared by a process which comprises comminuting a solid substance containing potassium chloride and ammonium phosphate by grinding in the presence of a saturated solution of solid in a liquid in which the solid has a solubility greater than 1% by weight, the mixture of the solution and the solid being in fluid condition with the solid being a separate phase during grinding and the solution having dissolved therein an additive which is a crystal growth inhibitor for the solid whereby crystal growth is inhibited at both existing crystal surfaces and new crystal surfaces created by the breaking down of relatively coarse particles.

Fluid fertilizer composition

A slurry composition based essentially on ammonium nitrate, prepared by a process which comprises comminuting solid substance containing ammonium nitrate by grinding in the presence of a saturated solution of solid in a liquid in which the solid has a solubility greater than 1% by weight, the mixture of the solution and the solid being in fluid condition with the solid being a separate phase during grinding and the solution having dissolved therein an additive which is a crystal growth inhibitor for the solid whereby crystal growth is inhibited at both existing crystal surfaces and new crystal surfaces created by the breaking down of relatively coarse particles.

Ammonium nitrate slurry compositions

Hardenable resin compositions wherein the hardening rate is increased by the inclusion of two or more substances which react to produce heat before the resin gels. The reactable substances may comprise, for example, water and a water reactable substance or an acid/base system.

Hardenable resin compositions

A process is described for the comminution of a solid material in the presence of a saturated solution of the solid in a liquid in which the solid has a solubility greater than 1%, and also in the presence of an additive dissolved in the saturated solution which can at least partially inhibit regrowth at crystal surfaces of the solid material. The process is of particular interest for the comminution of water-soluble salts in the presence of their saturated aqueous solutions and may be employed to make, inter alia, improved slurry explosives and fluid fertilizer compositions.

Growing community of inventors

Dundonald, United Kingdom

John Cooper