Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
(1) Better explosive property
The molecules of a composite liquid explosive are fully mixed and evenly
dispersed. Thus, its detonation velocity is almost the same as a single compound
liquid explosive. It is also not dif
cult to prepare an explosive with zero oxygen
balance to make the utmost out of energy. For example, the explosion heat of
hydrazine nitrate and hydrazine composite is up to 6.688 MJ/kg, while the value for
octogen (HMX) is only 5.668 MJ/kg. The volume energy for the hydrazine nitrate
and hydrazine composite and HMX is 10.62 and 10.5 kJ/cm
3
, respectively, and the
maximum detonation velocity is 8,600 m/s (
= 1.33 g/cm
3
) and 8,900 m/s
ρ
= 1.91 g/cm
3
), respectively. Hence, liquid explosives have superior explosive
property.
(2) Good
(
ρ
flowability,
Because of its good
fl
flowability, the propelling charge operation seems to be
simple and suitable for any shape of container; transport can be done, if necessary,
by a pump or spraying up. The convenience of charge is bene
fl
cial for loading of
large explosives such as torpedoes, mine fuses, and bombs, and special engineering
project. Some liquid explosives are able to be directly poured on the ground for a
large area of blasting. The liquid explosives percolate through the soil and the rock
crevices and keep their explosion performance. Thus, they are a good choice to be
applied in channel operations and bunker mining.
(3) High detonation sensitivity and good detonating property
The detonation sensitivity of liquid explosives is usually relatively high.
Explosion could be safely detonated by using No. 6 or 8 detonators with small
limiting diameter. For examples, the liquid explosive of sensitized nitromethane can
be detonated in a tube with diameter of 0.8 mm. A nylon webbing dipped by the
liquid explosive of hydrazine nitrate and hydrazine composite can be of complete
detonation after explosive generation at one end. The thickness of its critical liquid
layer for denotation is less than 1 mm. Most liquid explosives have excellent
detonating and transmitted detonation properties. Thus, generally, it is not neces-
sary to set up a complex and unwieldy detonating device, easy to be used.
(4) Simple and safe manufacturing process
The manufacturing process of liquid explosive mixture is usually simple. The
components for many liquid explosives can be mixed together on-site, for exam-
ples, liquid explosives of nitric acid-nitro compounds or nitric acid-nitromethane,
and a liquid explosive of hydrazine
hydrazine nitrate obtained by pouring hydra-
zine into hydrazine nitrate. Therefore, the corresponding production cost is very
low. Some of explosives are transported and stored, usually, by separated chemical
compounds. Those compounds would be mixed together to be an explosive just
before use. Such manufacturing process signi
-
cantly improves the safety of
explosives in storage and use.
(5) Extensive sources of raw materials with low price
Most of raw materials of liquid explosives are of common chemicals with wide
sources, simple production, and low price.
