Characterization of explosive performance parameters: ANFO and explosive emulsion

Abstract

The most commonly used explosives, for civil purposes, in construction and mining are Ammonium Nitrate Fuel Oil (ANFO) and explosive emulsions. Both are ammonium nitrate-based and detonate under the same chemical reaction between nitrate and mineral oil, given that the ANFO is composed of tiny grains of porous nitrate with diffused oil, and the emulsion is in the form of a liquid, continuous, viscous phase oily and the discontinuous aqueous phase. The study of parameters that measure explosive performance is fundamental to understanding the behavior of the explosion. Important parameters are the speed and pressure of detonation, the heat of the blast (energy), and the volume of gas produced. These properties help judge whether a particular explosive is convenient or not for the situation in question because, in some applications, high speed is required to increase the capacity of fragmentation, for example, when you want to fragment hard rocks. However, there is no need to fragment in some moments but to displace. Other properties, such as gas volume, become more relevant in such cases.