Enzyme Deactivation of Undetonated Explosive Cartridges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for deactivating undetonated explosive charges, such as those used in mining and seismic exploration, face challenges including reliance on external forces for self-disarming mechanisms and the use of microorganisms which can be impractical due to environmental concerns and maintenance requirements.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of isolated enzymes as deactivating agents, which render explosive compositions insensitive to detonation by converting them into less hazardous compounds, either alone or in combination with environmental reagents, within an explosive cartridge designed to ensure safe and controlled deactivation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If micro-organisms are used to effect bio-remediation of explosive composition, then the explosive composition can be degraded and rendered safe, but environmental concerns arise from introduction and leakage of exotic micro-organisms and chemicals into the environment
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the deactivating function from living micro-organisms and isolates it into specific enzymes (such as nitroreductases) that can be applied without introducing entire microbial ecosystems. This extraction eliminates the risk of exotic micro-organism introduction while retaining the ability to degrade explosive compounds.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces enzymes as intermediary substances that mediate between the explosive composition and environmental degradation. These enzymes act as controlled chemical messengers that specifically target explosive molecules for degradation, avoiding the uncontrolled biological activity of whole micro-organisms.
2Reliability
If micro-organisms are used for bio-remediation, then explosive composition can be degraded, but care needs to be taken not to destroy the micro-organisms thereby rendering them useless
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the deactivating function from the micro-organism carrier, extracting only the essential enzymatic activity needed to degrade explosives. This allows the deactivating function to operate independently without requiring maintenance of living organisms, their nutrient supplies, or protective conditions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, maintenance-intensive living micro-organisms with stable, non-living enzyme preparations that can be applied as discrete chemical substances. These enzymes perform their function and then degrade naturally, eliminating the need for continuous operational maintenance.
3Reliability
If micro-organisms are used for bio-remediation, then explosive composition can be degraded, but it will be necessary to supply micro-organisms with suitable nutrients/metabolites in order to sustain them when they are required to be active
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the catalytic function from the micro-organism and its nutrient requirements, isolating the enzymatic activity as a standalone deactivating agent. This eliminates the complex nutrient supply system needed to sustain micro-organisms while preserving the ability to degrade explosive compositions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the biological system (micro-organisms requiring nutrients) with a chemical system (enzymes that catalyze degradation without requiring living sustenance). This substitution eliminates the need for nutrient delivery infrastructure and biological maintenance protocols.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach effectively deactivates explosive charges without the need for external forces and minimizes environmental impact by using enzymes to convert the explosives into more environmentally acceptable compounds, ensuring safety and practicality in field applications.
Implementation Method 1
the deactivating agent is an enzyme. The enzyme is used in isolation from any living cell with which it might normally be associated or produced
Implementation Method 2
Other approaches, such as those described in WO 97/19253 and WO 98/55822, rely on the use of micro-organisms to effect bio-remediation of an explosive composition
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a method of deactivating an explosive composition in order to render the composition safe. The present invention also relates to a cartridge that contains an explosive composition and that is adapted to achieve deactivation of the explosive composition in the event that it is not detonated as intended during use.