Pumpable Explosive Composition for Underground Mining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pumpable explosive compositions for underground mining lack sufficient detonation energy and gas volume, resulting in inadequate rock fragmentation.
Innovation Solution
A pumpable explosive composition comprising a matrix emulsion with 60-75% ammonium nitrate, 1-20% sodium nitrate, 0.1-8% urea, 0.1-2% thiourea, 5-20% water, 0.1-2% acetic acid or sulfamic acid, 0.5-3% surfactants, and 4-10% hydrocarbon, combined with high-density ammonium nitrate prills and sensitized with silica or plastic microspheres, which increases energy and gas volume.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Power
If existing pumpable explosive compositions are used, then the composition can be pumped for underground mining, but the detonation energy and gas volume are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite emulsion system combining oxidizing phase (ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate) with combustible phase (urea, thiourea, hydrocarbon, surfactants) to create a pumpable explosive mixture that achieves both adequate flowability and high detonation energy with improved gas volume for effective rock fragmentation
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes the chemical composition parameters including ammonium nitrate content (60-75%), sodium nitrate (1-20%), urea (0.1-8%), thiourea (0.1-2%), and hydrocarbon (4-10%) to achieve the desired balance between pumpability, detonation speed, and gas volume while maintaining stability during storage and handling
2Power
If ammonium nitrate content is increased to improve energy, then detonation energy increases, but the composition becomes less pumpable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains ammonium nitrate content within the optimized range of 60-75% rather than using higher concentrations, and combines it with specific amounts of surfactants (0.5-3%) and hydrocarbons (4-10%) to ensure the mixture remains pumpable while achieving sufficient detonation energy
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces surfactants and hydrocarbons as intermediary substances that reduce the viscosity and improve the flow characteristics of the high ammonium nitrate content mixture, enabling it to be pumped effectively while maintaining high energy content
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
The composition achieves higher detonation speed, increased gas volume, and improved rock fragmentation, making it suitable for efficient underground mining applications.
Implementation Method 1
The pumpable explosive composition comprises a matrix emulsion combined with high-density ammonium nitrate prills and sensitized with silica or plastic microspheres, which increases energy and gas volume
Implementation Method 2
The matrix emulsion contains 60-75% ammonium nitrate, 1-20% sodium nitrate, which are oxygen-releasing salts that oxidize the combustible materials (urea, thiourea, hydrocarbon) during detonation
Implementation Method 3
The matrix emulsion comprises ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, urea, thiourea, water, surfactants, and hydrocarbon in specific proportions to achieve pumpable consistency
Implementation Method 4
The emulsion contains 0.5-3% surfactants that reduce surface tension between the oxidizing salts and combustible materials, enabling homogeneous mixing and stable emulsion formation
Data Source
AI summary
The disclosure is directed to pumpable explosive compositions that include a matrix emulsion, which has i) technical or fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate in a ratio between 60% and 70%; (ii) sodium nitrate from 1% to 20%; iii) urea from 0.1% to 8%; iv) thiourea from 0.1% to 2%, v) water from 5% to 20%, vi) acetic acid or sulfamic acid from 0.1% to 2%; vii) surfactants of non-ionic or polymeric nature from 0.5 to 3%; and viii) a hydrocarbon such as petroleum or a paraffinic or naphthenic based mineral oil, and where a second component of composition are technical and/or fertilizer grade ammonium nitrate prills in a ratio from 5% to 50%.