You are on page 1of 38

Blasting Competency Program

B1. Introduction to Explosives

May 2010

Introduction to Explosives

"
!#

"

What is an explosive?

Take 1 kg of
Coal and Explosive
Which produces more energy?

Coal produces more energy!

Approximately 6.5 x more


(Coal 20 to 30 MJ/kg vs. Anfex 3.8 MJ/kg)

So why dont we use coal as an explosive?

Time
Coal burns slowly!

An explosive requires:

A rapid reaction,
A shock wave and
Expansion of gases

Coal needs additional elements

&
! '
"

)
" )
"!*

+'
+* !

,
,!*

! '
!

-.
*/
0
)

Safety with explosives

Explosives

DO NOT
require presence of
air (Oxygen)
to function

Definition of an explosive

'

'

3
.. 2

Definition of an explosive

2
.

Evolution of explosives

9
1-778

45
3 ,
2
1*778
:

62
:

)
2

'

'

Evolution of explosives

Development of modern explosives

"
)

'

The explosive reaction

Provides Oxygen
e.g. Ammonium Nitrate Solution

To react with the oxygen


e.g. Fuel Oil and/or Aluminum,
Carbohydrates

Provides the Hot Spot to drive


reaction, more surface area
e.g. Chemical gassing: Sodium Nitrite
Mechanical: Micro balloons

e.g. Detonator, Booster,


cartridge etc.

Do we need a sensitiser for Anfo?


No, creation of more surface area by
the size/breakdown of prills

Definition
- Combustion
) 2

Definition
- Detonation
)

2
2

)'

'
,
, )
=

;<
2

Definition
- Deflagration
)

2
,)
= '

;%
)
2

Low and High explosives

>2
9
,

?
3

'

+
9
@0
?
3!4

49

Detonator sensitive explosive

)
)'
7.
A-

)'

# 4&

'

A Typical detonator contains more than double this amount of PETN

Properties of explosives

10

Properties of explosives

+
9
,
=
"

'
'
'
'
! '

9
,
#

Handling characteristics

,'

0
'

"

11

Water resistance

2
@
@

'

3
>

) 2

&! (

Effect of
water at toe
of blasthole

Influence of moisture content


(ANFO 94% AN 6%FO)





 





 


 





  !#"%$& '

12

What is Density?

Density

Mass
Volume
Blasthole

Thus more mass


of explosives for
same volume of
blasthole

Rock

&'
(

&'
(

" #

('
)(

&'
*)

&'
*+

('
,)

Why is density critical to explosive performance?

'
,
=
"

?
'4
' 9
9

4
4
'

13

Sensitivity

= '

'

'

>

B
9

)'
'2

'

Detonator sensitive

"

)'
17

14

Primer sensitive

@0

)'
)

Whats happening here?

Initiating
system

Stemming

Booster

Explosive

Booster
Proposed
Floor
Rock
(Weight)

15

Velocity of detonation

=!9
=!9 2

A 777
2

'

=!9 '
'

C777 D
2
')

Critical diameter

22

?
,177
,91A7

%
%
%

+
+
+

4C/
4C/
4177

16

Effective energy of explosives

9
@
@

'
'

,
>

Detonation

- - ./ /012

1
/

#
/

30

#
30 !

17

Ideal detonation

#
'
)
'4
=

'4

'
4

; "
!

" E4#

Non Ideal detonation

3
=

; &
+, %

" ;
&
=

#2
@
@

F *7%

>?
'
,

18

Relative Effective Energy Relative Weight Strength (RWS)

3
3
#4
5
/3
3

3
3
3
/

3/ 4

0//

&((
/3
3

ANFO 0.8 g/cc (94.3% AN 5.7% FO), 2.9 MJ/kg

Relative Bulk Strength

3
3
#4
3
5

3
3
3
3

0// $
06

&((
$

19

Energy of AEL Bulk Explosives

200

% Emulsion
Density g/cc*100
RBS

180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

Augur

Pump
AN + PPAN

AN + ANFO

Post detonation fumes

" )

'

?
" )
!

20

Oxygen balance

! '

)
! '

'

! '
#
#

& (
! '
2

! '
!
! '

! '
2
" )

" )

Desensitisation of explosives

+'
9

Detonator
cord

+
9

9'

Stemming

"
Area of
Explosives
affected by
Detonating
cord firing

92

Explosive

Booster
Proposed
Floor

Channel
Effect

Downlines

Rock
(Weight)

21

Storage life

2
"
%
#'

3
4

Temperature effects

#
"

"
)

'

"

>2#
%
')
2
@

"

'

%
&

22

Ammonium Nitrate

)
-7G ! '
'
)

!
,
>
3>!4
,

3 E4
4*/

3 E> 2 9

'

AN Properties

3
+'
%

' 7.
C*
' ) )
1C7I"

7.
CH

'

Temperature Cycling

Becomes a problem if the temperature moves above and then


below 32C repeatedly
Prills will fracture and cake
Storage needs to be cool and dry

23

Bulk Explosives

>2

' ?

,
3

,
'
>
3E
,
J

&
9

&
3

(4 "! 2

4J :

,
!

( J:

1944, Discovery of ANFO

"'

24

Mixing ANFO

ANFO Properties

AEL Trade name, ANFEX


Fuel Oil content
Density 0.76 to 0.78
Water Resistance a limitation
Charge Diameter
Particle size affects sensitivity
Sensitivity

Sensitivity/Energy

7
&((
)(

8(
9(
*(
(

&*

25

Bulk Emulsion

Bulk Emulsion

2
0
>0 4
>

)'
4

'

&
,'

'177

& '

,'

'K77

,'

',1*74,1A7 4,1A/

&

J:

26

Blasting Agent
- Non detonability test

*&(

9((
6

Bulk Heavy ANFO

27

Synergy S1000 Heavy ANFO Range

'

3!

9'
,17/K 2
J
>
4,'
,17/K

)
)

,17/K

',17CK4,17-K4,17-74,17/C4,17/K

Bulk vs. ANFO

'

28

Packaged Explosives

Emulsion

Is an intimate mixture of two immiscible liquids, with one liquid


phase dispersed uniformly throughout the second phase. The oil
of fuel phase surrounds and coats all the oxidiser droplets.

Watergel

Typically a thickened aqueous (water) solution of oxidiser and/or


fuel salts in which is dispersed additional solid oxidisers and/or
fuels as well as sensitisers

Emulsion based

2
>2
-9
+

'

'
)

=!9

%
3

'

'
'

"
,

2
'&
/7

2
4
)

; H17F 7G
2

4H1A F A.
/G
2

4H1-F -G

29

Emulsion based

2
>2
-9

'

'
)

=!9

4
)

H7F 7G
2

4 HA F A.
/G
2

4 H-F -G

Watergel Explosives

2
@
"
-9
1H
:

)
) &
/4H
;

17 D (

30

Optimisation Criteria (NOT Unit Cost!)

=
<

<

<
*? 6
$
6
#

>

Caterpillar Study

?
>
+
"

2
'

"
)

'4
'
'

+ 22
2

'
'

2
22
2

2
2

'

'

Acknowledgement: David Carletti, Caterpillar Australia

31

Caterpillar Study

Cost/tonne

Ideal

Fine

Coarse

Acknowledgement: David Carletti, Caterpillar Australia

Mass of explosives in Blasthole (kg)

#
%

"

>

L 17.
/
L C.
1/

Stemming

Explosive

= 10.5 x 7.15
= 75.1 kg

Total Charge Length

Total Charge (kg) = Total Charge Length x Mc

Proposed
Floor

32

Mass of explosives in Blasthole (kg)

?
"
, );

>
&(

"

&
>(

L M.
C
L 7.
H

>

L >J
L M.
CJ 7.
HL 17.
/

4
2

Proposed
Floor

L 1.
1/

Sub-drill - U

177
'

Total Charge Length

L HM

Charge Length - L

Explosive

Stemming

Mass of explosives Mc (kg/m)

Hole diameter
Inches (mm)

0.65

0.70

0.75

0.80

0.85

0.90

3
1
3 /2
4
1
4 /4

76
89
102
108

2.95
4.04
5.31
5.95

3.18
4.35
5.72
6.41

3.40
4.67
6.13
6.87

3.63
4.98
6.54
7.33

3.86
5.29
6.95
7.79

4.08
5.60
7.35
8.24

4 1/2

114

6.63

7.14

7.66

8.17

8.68

4 /8
5
1
5 /8

124
127
130

7.85
8.23
8.63

8.45
8.87
9.29

9.06
9.50
9.95

9.66
10.13
10.62

10.26
10.77
11.28

5 /4

133

9.03

9.73

10.42

11.11

11.81

5 1/2

140

10.01

10.78

11.55

12.32

13.08

5 /8

143

10.44

11.24

12.05

12.85

5 7/8
6
6 1/4

149
152
159

11.33
11.79
12.91

12.21
12.70
13.90

13.08
13.61
14.89

13.95
14.52
15.88

6 3/4

171

14.93

16.08

17.22

7 /8

187

17.85

19.23

20.60

7 5/8

194

19.21

20.69

22.17

7 /8

200

20.42

21.99

8 /2
9
7
9 /8
10
5
10 /8

216
229
251
254
270

23.82
26.77
32.16
32.94
37.22

11 1/4

279
311
349
381
406
445

12 /4
13
15
16 1/2
17

Density of Explosives (g/cc)


0.95
1.00
1.05
1.10

1.15

1.20

1.25

1.30

1.35

1.40

4.31
5.91
7.76
8.70

4.54
6.22
8.17
9.16

4.76
6.53
8.58
9.62

4.99
6.84
8.99
10.08

5.22
7.15
7.15
9.40
10.54

5.44
7.47
9.81
10.99

5.67
7.78
10.21
11.45

5.90
8.09
10.62
11.91

6.12
8.40
11.03
12.37

6.35
8.71
11.44
12.83

9.19

9.70

10.21

10.72

11.23

11.74

12.25

12.76

13.27

13.78

14.29

10.87
11.40
11.95

11.47
12.03
12.61

12.08
12.67
13.27

12.68
13.30
13.94

13.28
13.93
14.60

13.89
14.57
15.26

14.49
15.20
15.93

15.10
15.83
16.59

15.70
16.47
17.26

16.30
17.10
17.92

16.91
17.73
18.58

12.50

13.20

13.89

14.59

15.28

15.98

16.67

17.37

18.06

18.76

19.45

13.85

14.62

15.39

16.16

16.93

17.70

18.47

19.24

20.01

20.78

21.55

13.65

14.45

15.26

16.06

16.86

17.67

18.47

19.27

20.08

20.88

21.68

22.48

14.82
15.42
16.88

15.69
16.33
17.87

16.56
17.24
18.86

17.44
18.15
19.86

18.31
19.05
20.85

19.18
19.96
21.84

20.05
20.87
22.83

20.92
21.78
23.83

21.80
22.68
24.82

22.67
23.59
25.81

23.54
24.50
26.81

24.41
25.40
27.80

18.37

19.52

20.67

21.82

22.97

24.11

25.26

26.41

27.56

28.71

29.86

31.00

32.15

21.97

23.34

24.72

26.09

27.46

28.84

30.21

31.58

32.96

34.33

35.70

37.08

38.45

23.65

25.13

26.60

28.08

29.56

31.04

32.52

33.99

35.47

36.95

38.43

39.90

41.38

23.56

25.13

26.70

28.27

29.85

31.42

32.99

34.56

36.13

37.70

39.27

40.84

42.41

43.98

25.65
28.83
34.64
35.47
40.08

27.48
30.89
37.11
38.00
42.94

29.31
32.95
39.58
40.54
45.80

31.15
35.01
42.06
43.07
48.67

32.98
37.07
44.53
45.60
51.53

34.81
39.13
47.01
48.14
54.39

36.64
41.19
49.48
50.67
57.26

38.48
43.25
51.95
53.20
60.12

40.31
45.31
54.43
55.74
62.98

42.14
47.37
56.90
58.27
65.84

43.97
49.42
59.38
60.80
68.71

45.80
51.48
61.85
63.34
71.57

47.64
53.54
64.33
65.87
74.43

49.47
55.60
66.80
68.41
77.29

51.30
57.66
69.27
70.94
80.16

39.74

42.80

45.85

48.91

51.97

55.02

58.08

61.14

64.19

67.25

70.31

73.36

76.42

79.48

82.53

85.59

49.38
62.18
74.11
84.15
101.09

53.18
66.96
79.81
90.62
108.87

56.97
71.75
85.51
97.10
116.65

60.77
76.53
91.21
103.57
124.42

64.57
81.31
96.91
110.04
132.20

68.37
86.10
102.61
116.52
139.98

72.17
90.88
108.31
122.99
147.75

75.96
95.66
114.01
129.46
155.53

79.76
100.45
119.71
135.93
163.30

83.56
105.23
125.41
142.41
171.08

87.36
110.01
131.11
148.88
178.86

91.16
114.79
136.81
155.35
186.63

94.96
119.58
142.51
161.83
194.41

98.75
124.36
148.21
168.30
202.19

102.55
129.14
153.91
174.77
209.96

106.35
133.93
159.61
181.25
217.74

33

Mass of explosives Mc (kg/m)

MC =

D2
kg/m
1273

1.15 89 2
MC =
kg/m
1273

= 7.15 kg/m

Mass of explosives in Blasthole (kg)

#
%

"

"

>

L 17.
/
L C.
1/

Stemming

%
Total Charge Length

Explosive

& ( L#
"
>
L 17.
/ C.
1/
L C/.
1

Proposed
Floor

34

On Bench control
- Total mass of explosives?...

Not to scale

Total mass of explosives?

L 20

L 75.1 kg

L 75.1 x 20 = 1502 kg

35

Stock of initiating systems and boosters on


bench?...

Not to scale

Stock of initiating systems and boosters on


bench?
)
)
)
)

)
2
..
98
)
2

L 20
L 20
L 19
L 1

Not to be brought on to the bench!

IED Instantaneous Electric Detonator

36

Powder factor

20 m

30 m

10 m
Not to scale

Powder Factor
- Volume
=

) )

&
%

A(

&

2
(
L 17 A7 *7
L -777 A

L 1/7*
2

%
=

L 1/7*D
-777L 7.
*/

) )
D

37

Powder Factor
- Mass
%

) )
L9
'
L *.
K
L 1KK77

& (
=
-777

L 1/7*
2

%
%

) )

L 1/7*D
1KK77L 7.
17

'

38

You might also like