EFFECT OF DIFFERENT EMULSIFIERS ON THE STABILITY AND

PERFORMANCE OF NPSD EMULSION EXPLOSIVES .

Dr. S. N. Sharma* and Mr. A. P. Dwivedi
*Sr. General Manager (Works & Development)
Keltech Energies Ltd.
Village Garamsur, Nagpur
Maharashtra, India

ABSTRACT
NPSD emulsion explosives are on high demand because of large scale infrastructure development
projects. The emulsion explosive is one of the important industrial explosives. The performance and
stability of these explosives plays an important role in selection of the explosives for that particular use.
The structural stability of the water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion matrix of an emulsion explosive determines
the reliability of its initiation, safety and detonation performance. The emulsion explosives are
manufacture by high speed mixing of Oxidizer Blend (Water Phase) and Fuel Blend (Fuel Phase). The
oil and water are immiscible with each other. To mix this incompatible system emulsifiers are added. It
is known that the emulsifier is one of the most important factors affecting W/O structural stability. In the
present study we have made trials using Polyisobutenyl succinic anhydrides (PIBSA), Polyisobutenyl
Lactone (PIBLA) and Sorbitan Mono-Oleate (SMOs). The oxidizer blend and the other ingredients of
Fuel face was kept constant or adjusted as per the dosage of Emulsifiers. In this study we have
compared the VOD and Density of each explosive made using PIBSA, PIBLA and SMOs.

Key Words: NPSD, emulsion explosives, performance, stability, PIBSA, PIBLA, SMOs etc.

INTRODUCTION

Rational large scale mining and excavation have forced the development of mining equipment and
consequently also explosive products including manufacturing, distribution and handling. The safety
and working environment has become most significant parameters when the overall mining operation is
evaluated. This has to a great extent influenced the development towards less sensitive explosives.

In recent years the emulsion explosives have had a large increase in the usage on surface and
underground mines. The reason for this are the great advantages that emulsion explosives offer
compared to other types of explosives on the market. The advantages of emulsion explosive include
safety and security, excellent resistance to water, increased velocity of detonation, transport, handling
and storage, savings in drilling operations and low gas emissions.

Emulsions are dispersions of two immiscible liquids such as oil and water which find application in a
wide range of industries including chemical engineering, food processing, pharmaceutical
manufacturing, enhanced oil recovery and explosives. In order to increase their stability, a small
amount of emulsifier is added to the continuous phase.

An emulsion matrix is water-in-oil (W/O) emulsion, in which the oxidant solution is named as the
aqueous phase and the fuel oil is named as the oil phase. Emulsion matrixes become emulsion
explosives by sensitization. Compared with traditional industrial explosives, emulsion explosives have
become leading industrial explosives because of their good explosive properties, their water-resistant
nature, abundant raw materials, low cost, lower environmental pollution etc.
The oil-phase material is one of the key components of emulsion explosives. It is a group of water-
insoluble compounds which form a water-in-oil emulsion together with an aqueous oxidized salt solution
in presence of an emulsifier. The primary functions of oil-phase material are to form continuous phase
of emulsion in an emulsion explosive system and to act as a combustion agent. It also provides water
resistance and consistency to the emulsion explosive system. Any hydrocarbon having a proper
consistency can be used as an oil-phase material for emulsion explosives. All waxes, oils and various
polymers are commonly used in emulsion explosives.

The aqueous oxidizer solution is another important component of emulsion explosives. It provides
dispersion phase to emulsion explosives and also acts as an oxidizer. It also decides the density of the
final product as it accounts for about 90% of the total mass of the explosive. Generally, aqueous
solution of ammonium nitrate is used as a dispersion phase in emulsion explosives but other organic
and inorganic oxidizer salts compatible with emulsion, may also be used together with ammonium
nitrate. Ammonium nitrate is an inexpensive and efficient oxidizer.

Emulsifiers are one of the key components of emulsion explosives and usually their content is 0.5 to
2.0% of the total mass of the explosive. They play an important role in maintaining the quality of an
emulsion explosive. Emulsifying efficiency of aqueous oxidizer salt solution and carbonaceous fuel
depend mainly on the type and activities of the selected emulsifiers.

Emulsion consists of small droplets of ammonium nitrate solution, tightly packed in a mixture of oil and
wax. Looked at through a microscope, its structure resembles that of a honeycomb. The thickness of
the oil and wax membranes separating the droplets is less than one ten thousandth of a millimetre. This
involves an extremely large contact area between the fuel-oil and wax and the oxidizer-ammonium
nitrate. As a result very rapid and complete explosive combustion is obtained. The oil and wax
membrane also protects every droplet of ammonium nitrate and makes the explosive highly water
resistant. By adding "hot spots" in the form of small hollow glass spheres (microspheres) or air bubbles
the sensitivity of the emulsion can be varied. The hot spots, which are only one tenth of a millimetre m
diameter, act as density gradients in the explosive and effectively transfer shock wave energy to heat
and enhance the rapid explosive combustion of the emulsion.

However, due to the super-saturated aqueous phase and the instability of the W/O structure itself of the
emulsion matrix, it is easy for emulsion explosives to crystallize and to be affected by their
surroundings, such as temperature, vibration and shearing, leading to misfires, semi-explosions or
extinguishment. There are many factors affecting the W/O structural stability of emulsion matrixes, such
as emulsifying technique and temperature, and type, functionality, components, molecular weight, the
addition rate of the emulsifier etc.

EXPERIMENTATION

The emulsion matrix was made using all the three type of emulsifiers i.e. PIBSA, PIBLA and SMO. The
Oxidizer blend containing mixture of AN and SN was kept constant for the all the emulsifiers. The
Oxidizer to fuel ratio was kept at 94 : 6 in all the cases of emulsifiers used for making fuel blend. The
pH of OB was kept in between 4 to 4.5. The other ingredients of the Fuel blend like waxes and mineral
oil was same for all the emulsifiers. The emulsification was carried out at 80 to 85 OC. The emulsification
was carried out at high shear using a high speed impeller at around 1300 to 1400 RPM. The matrix
produced was doped with Atomized Aluminum powder and Prilled ammonium nitrate. The matrix was
gassed using sodium nitrite. The density of the Explosive mixture was kept at 1.10 to 1.15.

The cartridges were kept under observation for one year and its density (By water displacement
method) and VOD (Dautrich method) was measured ever month. The observations were made and
graphs were plotted.
 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Separate graphs were plotted for density and viscosity made using all the three different emulsifiers
with respect to number of days.

Graph of Density with no. of days:-

Density (gm/cc) Density (gm/cc)

1.3 1.22
1.25 1.2
1.2 1.18

1.15 1.16
Density Density
(gm/cc) 1.14 (gm/cc)
1.1
1.12
1.05
1.1
1
1.08
1 30 90 150 210 270 330
1 30 90 150 210 270 330

(a) With PIBSA (b) With PIBLA

Density (gm/cc)
1.4
1.3
1.2 Density
(gm/cc)
1.1
1
1 15 30 60 90 120 150 180 210

(c) With SMO

(a) Graph it can be seen that the density of the product started getting deteriorated after nine months.

(b) Graph it can be seen that the density of the product is stable till one year.

(c) Graph it can be seen that the density of the product started getting deteriorated after six months.
 3.2 Graph of VOD with no. of days:-

VOD (M/S) VOD (M/S)

4500
5000
4000 4500
3500 4000
3000 3500
2500 3000
VOD 2500 VOD
2000
(M/S) 2000 (M/S)
1500
1500
1000 1000
500 500
0 0

3.1 (a) With PIBSA 3.1 (b) With PIBLA

VOD (M/S)
5000

4000

3000 VOD
(M/S)
2000

1000

3.1 (c) With SMO

(a) Graph it can be seen that the VOD of the product started getting deteriorated after six months.

(b) Graph it can be seen that the VOD of the product is stable till one year.

(c) Graph it can be seen that the density of the product started getting deteriorated after six months.
 CONCLUSION

Form the stability data and the results and discussion it can be concluded that the PIB-Lactone can be
a good emulsifier for manufacture of emulsion explosives were long life is required i.e. were the shelf
life of the product required is above one year. The products made of PIBSA and SMO starts
deteriorating after six months but the PIBLA based products are retaining its stability for more than
year. In PIBSA and SMOs the products made of SMOs deteriorate much faster than that made of
PIBSA.

REFERENCES

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1733-7178
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