Accession Number:

AD0648831

Title:

SYMPATHETIC DETONATION OF AMMONIUM NITRATE AND AMMONIUM NITRATE-FUEL OIL.

Descriptive Note:

Report of investigations

Corporate Author:

BUREAU OF MINES WASHINGTON DC

Personal Author(s):

• Van Dolah, R. W.
• Gibson, F. C.
• Murphy, J. N.

Report Date:

1966-01-01

Pagination or Media Count:

40.0

Abstract:

An investigation was made of the distances over which sympathetic detonation of ammonium nitrate AN and ammonium nitrate-fuel oil AN-FO might be expected. Large-scale gap tests used two types of AN-FO donor charges in three sizes with AN, both at ambient and elevated temperatures, and AN-FO acceptor charges. Donor sizes were varied to test the validity of a scaling law commonly used in quantity distance tables. The up-and-down experimental design was chosen to determine the 50-percent initiation point efficiently. The acceptor charges were instrumented to indicate initiation and to determine detonation velocity. Other electronic techniques for measuring the rate of growth, stability of detonation, and detonation pressures were employed. Air shock and fragment velocities between charges were measured by electronic and photographic methods, and determination of side-on air-blast pressures and impulse duration were made for about half the shots. Separation distances between donor and acceptor were found to be larger than anticipated both for the AN and the AN-FO. With AN-FO acceptors and a 16-gage steel faced donor, one initiation occurred at a separation of 53 feet or nearly 16-charge diameters with AN, initiation occurred at 4 to 5-12-charge diameters.

Descriptors:

• *AMMONIUM COMPOUNDS
• *DETONATIONS
• *FUEL OIL
• *NITRATES
• VELOCITY
• HAZARDS
• TEST EQUIPMENT
• BLAST
• SAFETY
• SEPARATION

Subject Categories:

• Explosions

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE