BLAST INITITION SYSTEMS

Manoj Pradhan
Professor, Department of Mining
Engineering
National Institute of Technology, Raipur
INITIATION SYSTEMS
 Initiating explosives are designed to safely activate larger explosive
charges at a controlled time and in a pre-determined sequence (‘delay
blasting’). An initiation system provides the initial energy required to
detonate an explosive used for rock blasting.
 Initiation systems require:
• An initial energy source,
• A distribution network to deliver the energy to each blasthole, and
• An in-hole component to initiate a detonator-sensitive explosive.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8VTWqTI154
Charging of a blast hole

Electric wire/shock tube

Stemming

Column Charge (Non

cap sensitive explosive

Base Charge (Cap

sensitive explosive)
Detonator
 Initiation system can be broadly classified as electric
and non-electric initiation system.
 Electric initiation systems suffer the risk of
accidental initiation due to lightning and static charge.

 Some commonly used

 Safety fuse-ordinary detonators
 Electric detonators
 Detonating cord-cord relay
 Shock tube-detonators
 Electronic detonators
Safety Fuse- ordinary detonator system

 Safety Fuse:
 Safety fuse is a length of strong, flexible,
rope-like product with a black powder core.

• The gunpowder core is covered in layers of a

yarn to give strength and covered with tape to
make water proof .

• The gun powder core transmits the flame

uniformly for the ignition of the detonator.
p Gun Powder
• It burns with a speed of 1 m/100 s.

Textile yarn cover

Plastic coating
• Ordinary Detonator:
• Ordinary detonators consist of an
aluminium tube of diameter about
6 mm, and length 37 to 47 mm.
• One end of tube is clssed and other
end is open.
• The tube is filled with two types of
charges: a prime charge and
a base charge.
• Prime charge- lead azide, lead
styphnate and aluminium-
(flame sensitive explosive)
• Base chrage-Pentaerythritol
Tetranitrate (high explosive)
• It is initiated by safety fuse.
• A piece of predetermined length of
the safety fuse is cut from the roll
by fuse cutter designed for this
purpose
•One end of the safety fuse is
inserted into the detonator.

•The end of the detonator from

where the fuse is inserted is then
crimped with the help of
a detonator crimper.

•Safety fuse-Detonators system

are used in small quarry or to
initiate shock tube or detonating
cord.
 Electric Detonators
• Electrical detonators are similar to non-electrical detonators
except they are initiated by the application of electrical current
through electrical wires.

• The current causes a bridge wire or match elements to

heat/function thereby, causing the ignition charge to explode
which in turn, causes a chain reaction to cause the base charge to
be initiated.

• The wires are secured into the detonator by a closure plug,

crimped into the shell, which seals the explosive from moisture.

• In addition to sensitivity from heat, shock and crushing, these

products are subject to extraneous electricity due to the presence
of electrical wire.
 Electrical Detonators

• Electrical detonators are similar to

non electrical detonators except
they are initiated by the application
of electrical current through
electrical wires.

• The current causes a bridge wire

or match elements to heat/function
thereby, causing the ignition
charge to explode which in turn,
causes a chain reaction to cause
the base charge to be initiated.

• The wires are secured into the

detonator by a closure
plug, crimped into the shell, which
seals the explosive from moisture.
 Instantaneous Electric Detonators
• An instantaneous electric detonator
is a type of electric detonator that
explodes instantaneously when
electricity is turned on.

• Electric detonators contain a

sleeved fusehead, a priming
composition and a PETN base
charge inside a cylindrical
aluminium alloy/copper shell.

• The diameter of the shell is

about 6 mm, and length about 37 to
47 mm.

• The prime charge is heat sensitive

explosive usually ASA and
base charge is PETN.
• A pair of copper lead-wires, covered by PVC closure plug, are soldered to
the fuse-head and crimped into the detonator shell with a PVC closure
plug.
• The fuse head consist of a high resistance bridge wire made of Nickel-
chromium- Iron alloy to convert electric energy to heat energy.
• The PVC/rubber plug seals the opening and only the leg wire
pass through the plug. This prevents contamination by foreign material
or water.
• When electric current is supplied to the detonator through leg wire,
the bridge wire in the fuse head convert it into heat energy.
• The heat energy ignites the pyrotechnic that surrounds the bridge wire on
the match head assembly in the fuse head.
• The resulting flame/flash ignites the prime charge which is heat sensitive
explosive which in turn set off the base charge.
• Depending upon the quantity of base charge (PETN) detonators
are clasified as
• No 6 strength: 30 centigram of PETN
• No 8 strengt: 60 centigram of PETN
 Delay Electric Detonators
• A delay electric detonator is a type
of electric detonator that has a time
lag in seconds before detonation.

• To provide the time lag a delay

element is
introduced between the fuse head
and prime charge.

• This delay element consists of

a column of slow burning
composition. The length
and composition determines the
amount of delay-time introduced
into the detonators.

a. Short delay
b. Long delay
• Short delay detonators [SDD]
These are available in delay numbers 0-10 with a
delay interval of
25 milliseconds from 1-6,
50 ms intervals for delay 7-8 and
75 ms delay interval from 9-10.
Shell length varies (1-10) from 57 mm to 77mm
• Long delay detonators [LDD]
Long delay detonators range from delay numbers 1- 10 with
intervals of 500 ms or 0.5 sec, between
successive delays. They are also called half second
delays .
• In both Delays i.e. SDD LDD Delay No.is embossed at the bottom of
the shell and delay also a tag is put to one of the lead wires for
identification.
 Typical specification

Class 6

Division 3

Shell material aluminium/copper

Shell diameter 7.0 mm

Lead wire resistance 0.7 ohm/m

Lead wire length 2, 3,4,5 m (std) can be increased

Fuse head resistance 1.6-2.4 ohm

Firing impulse 3.2 milli watt sec/ohm

Firing current 1.2 amps DC current,

No fire current 0.18 amps applied for 300 seconds

 Delay number and delay interval
Delay no Shell length, mm Short delay, ms Long delay, s

0 47 Instantaneous Instantaneous

1 57 25 0.5

2 59 50 1.0

3 61 75 1.5

4 64 100 2.0

5 66 125 2.5

6 68 150 3.0

7 70 200 3.5

8 72 250 4.0

9 74 320 4.5

10 77 400 5.0
• Advantage of using delay detonators:
• Reduced ground vibration, airblast&flyrock.
• More predictable throw (amount & direction)
• Reduced backbreak& overbreak, with working facer lift in an
improved condn.
• Can increase burden & spacing therchy increasing ‘drilling
factor’ ( ton/m3 blasted per meter length of drill hole)
• stable pit slope & improved powder feutor.
• Application of delay detonators:
• Short delay detonators are designed for open cast mines, underground
mines for driving tunnels, shaft sinking and in quarriesfor multiple shot
rounds are required.
• Long delay detonators are designed for underground mining, for shaft
sinking and tunnel driving, blasting raises and stopes in metal mining,
trenching etc .
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=myqj_TCnIvA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vvJUmacZ138
 Components of Electric Blasting Systems

• An electric detonator, which is designed to initiate other explosives;

• Leg wires, which are insulated solid wires that protrude from electric
detonators, allowing them to be connected to a blasting circuit;

• A lead line, which is an insulated copper wire used to connect detonators

to the blasting machine;

• Connecting wires, which are expendable insulated copper wires used to

connect (1) boreholes or (2) individual series to the lead line;

• A blasting machine, which is a capacitor-discharge machine capable of delivering

the necessary current to detonate a series of electric detonators.

• Some means to test circuits (a blaster’s multimeter, a blasting ohmmeter,

or a blasting galvanometer all can be used to test blasting circuits for
continuity and resistance).
 Series Connection

• Widely used due to its simplicity.

• All the detonators are connected in series.
• Used when number of holes to be fired are less.
• The equitant resistances high, so more current is needed to fire.
Parallel Connection

• Parallel circuits are not recommended for suface blasting but are often used
for large development heading, tunnels and shafts where changes are close
together and the leg wires may be connected with minimal splicing of extra wire
to bus bar.
• Equivalent resistance of the circuit is less so less current is needed.
 • Series and Parallel connection:
• This type of connection is used where
large number of holes are to be fired,
• In Series-parallel circuits the caps are
divided into a no. of individual series,
each series should contain the same
no. of caps or the same resistance to
assure even current distribution.
• Each individual series is
than connected in parallel.
• In this way, the equivalent, resistance
of the circuit reduces to fit the capacity
of the exploder.
Electric detonators are mostly used in underground blasting, in small quarries/
opencast mines, intrenching, tunnel blasting, road cuttings etc. In large opencast
mines these are generally not used.
• They may get unintentional initiated due to stray currents generated by electrical
storms, power lines and radio/radar transmitter.
• In underground coal mines only copper tube permitted detonators are used.
 To check an electric firing circuit
ohm Meter – circuit testers are
used.

 Circuit Tester is used to check

continuity & leakage to avoid
misfire.

 Due to poor insulation or damaged

Insulation Leakage can occur.Wet
conditions, [plus AN in
water],makes leakage even worse
 Detonating cord-cord relay
• Detonating fuse is a cord having a
primary explosive, such as PETN,
as its core and warping of textile
fibers, wire and plastic coverings
around this core.

• Its core load varies 8 to 40 g of

PETN/m.

• Its detonates with a VOD of 6500 Central cotton yarn

m/s.
PETN
• Textile fibre or yarns are used to
give it strength.
Yarn covering
• Plastic covering makes it water
proof.
Cello tape
• Advatage:
• DC is safe to handle, extremely water resistant and capable of
transmitting energy of a detonator to all points along its length.
• With DC detonators are not required to be put inside the holes.
• Detonating cord is easy to use, rugged, and insensitive; it is not
susceptible to electric hazards; and it is reasonably accurate.
• Disadavtage
• Misfires and cut-offs can occur from flyrock or sub-surface rock shifting;.
• Downward initiation through the charge column can both cause low-order
deflagration and render the charge more dense, even to the point of
“dead press.
• Detonating cord can disrupt stemming material and may lead to airblast.
• Only surface delay is possible.
• Explosive in the trunkine detonates on the surafce and hence
generates more noise.
• Chances of detonation, deflagration & burning of column
change.
• Top initiation may take place.
• PETN in DF is sensitive to abrasion & shock.
• Premature escape of gas may takes place due to ejection of
stemming.
• To blast number of holes, the DC,is inserted into the holes by
lacing it to a primer cartridge or threading through a castbooster.
The DC coming out from each of the holes (as a branch line) is
connected to a common trunk line by strapping (taping), clove
hitch or by a plastic connector. The detonator, plain or electric (of
no. 6 strength) is lashed with tape, with its base pointing in the
intended direction of travel of the detonation wave.
• Hole to hole or row to row delay is given by cord relay.
• DC is availbale in 8 g/m, 10g/m, 20 g/m core and higher core
load.
• DC is used in surface mines, low grammage specialy desined
DC are permitted to use in under coal mines in BG method.
 Cord relay
Cord relay allow an easy method of firing
detonating-cord blasts by short-interval
delays on the surface.
These connectors are tied into a trunkline
between the boreholes or between groups
of boreholes to sequence the blast.
Cord relays provide accurate delay
between blast holes in a row or cross in a
multiple row blast.
In cord relays two ms delay detonators of
the same delay timing are placed in
opposite direction in a specifically
designed plastic component.ord relays
are bi-directional. The plastic component
has a provision for hooking of detonating
cord at either ends. The delay timings are
printed on the plastic component.
It consists of a small lengtyh of shock
tube with delay detonators of same
delay, factory assembled at both end,
Each delay detontor is placed in
ergonomically designed plastic
housing, which has a provision for
simple and fast hook up of detonating
card.

Cord relay are availble in 17.25.42.

50. 65, 100 ms delay interval
Shock tube Intiation
• Shock tube is a small diameter (3mm
outer diameter) laminated plastic tube
internally coated with approximately
14.86 grams of reactive material per
kilometer.
• This tube transmits a low energy
signal from the point of initation to the
delay cap at approximately 2,100 m.

• This shock wave

phenomenon propagate through most
sharp bends, knots and kinks in the
tube.
• The detonation is sustained by such
a small quantity of reactive material
that the outer surface of the tube
remains intact during and after
functioning.
Detonator Assembly
Detonator assembly
J hook
Combination of surface delay and detonator
Trecnh blasting
Bunch connector
 Electronic detonators

• Electronic detonators are modern, fully

programmable and intelligent high strength
detonators.

• Each detonator contains a circuit board that

can be programmed to initiate at precise
millisecond timing within a firing sequence.

 There is no preset delay time to detonators.

The delay time are programmed in the
field. by the blasting machines.

• Each detonator has a unique detonator ID

number allotted to it at the time of
manufacturing and are individually
programmed via the use of a handheld tagger
and initiated via a bespoke blasting box.
• .
• The delay element is a capacitor controlled
by application-specific integrated circuit
(ASIC) fitted before igniter and the base
charge.
• Unlike electric detonators, in electronic
detonators, the match head (ignitor) is not
directly connected to leg wire. It
is connected to leg
wire through delay module and capacitor.
• An electronic detonator has several
different forms of protection built into the
design, e.g. spark gaps devices, internal
electronic shunts, input resistors, etc., in
addition to the fact that a circuit board
physically separates the leads from the
“match head.”
• Because of the built-in electronic protection
devices and the physical separation of the
match head from the external lead wires,
electronic detonators are much less
sensitive to extraneous energies
 The bench tester/logger/tagger can
actually conduct a “two-way”
communication with an individual
detonator or a series of detonators.
 This communication can provide the
user with a significant level of
information as well as the ability to
program the detonator.
 The unit provide the user with
circuit tests to ensure
communication with the detonator
(wire breakage, leakage ranges,
circuit board test protocols, match-
head existence), as well as
facilitating the programming of delay
times and sequences of individual
detonators
 After successful “on bench”
testing and programming of all
electronic detonators in a blast, a
specifically designed blasting
machine is used for firing the blast
 Blasting machines have unique
design features and
communication protocols that must
be followed to ensure safe and
reliable system level tests, final
programming, charging and firing
of the shot.
 Electronic blasting machine is the
only devices designed to provide
password protection, programming
capability as well as the energy
levels needed to charge the
detonators in a circuit and send a
fire command.
 Merits of electronic detonators
• Precise delay: Since delay is achieved electronically, these are very
precise.
• Programable delay: Delay interval can be programmed at site as per the
requirement.
• Safe to use in in place where there is a risk of stray current.
• Only authorised person having key can fire the blast.
• Demerit
• Costly as compared to other initiation system.