Explosives

and
Explosion

Reporter: Kathleen Baguara

Explosives
• An explosive substance is a solid or
liquid substance (or mixture of
substances) which is in itself capable by
chemical reaction of producing gas at
such a temperature and pressure and at
such a speed as to cause damage to the
surroundings.
An explosive refers to a
substance containing a large
amount of stored energy, which
is capable of undergoing a rapid
chemical reaction.
•explosive, any substance or device that
can be made to produce a volume of
rapidly expanding gas in an extremely
brief period.
•likely to erupt in or produce hostile
reaction or violence.
History of Explosives
• Approximately 1,000 years ago, the Chinese
invented the first chemical explosive called
gunpowder (also called Black powder). It
consisted of a mixture of charcoal, sulfur and
potassium nitrate ( or saltpeter).
History of Explosives
• For hundreds of years, gunpowder was
mainly used to create fireworks and the
chinese did not use it as weapon of war until
after Europeans began using it to shoot stones
and projectiles from tubes as well as metal
balls from guns and canons.
Three Fundamental types of
Explosives
•Mechanical explosives
•Nuclear explosives
•Chemical explosives
A mechanical explosive is one that
depends on a physical reaction, such as
overloading a container with compressed
air. Such a device has some application
in mining, where the release of gas from
chemical explosives may be undesirable,
but otherwise is very little used.
A nuclear explosive is one in which
a sustained nuclear reaction can be made
to take place with almost instant rapidity,
releasing large amounts of energy.
Experimentation has been carried on
with nuclear explosives for possible
petroleum extraction purposes.
Types of chemical explosives
chemical explosives are of two types

1. Detonating, or high, explosives and

2. Deflagrating, or low, explosives.
Deflagrating or
Low Explosives
Low explosives consist of a combustible substance and
an oxidant that burns (deflagrates) at speed levels that
range from a few cm/sec to 400 m/sec. Low explosives
combine a combustible substance and an oxidant at
sufficient temperature, thus releasing heat and rapidly
expanding gases. Low explosives work the same way
as burning wood or coal, and the burning occurs with
more or less speed depending on the amount of
oxygen in the surrounding.
•deflagrating explosives, such as black and
smokeless powders, involve merely fast
burning and produce relatively low
pressures. Under certain conditions, such
as the use of large quantities and a high
degree of confinement, some normally
deflagrating explosives can be caused to
detonate.
 Detonating or
High Explosives
•Detonating explosives, such as TNT
and dynamite, are characterized by
extremely rapid decomposition and
development of high pressure,
high explosives detonate instantaneously, burn more
rapidly, and create more pressure. There are many
reaction sequences involved in a detonation process.
Commonly, it involves the combination of a metal with
chlorine, which releases excess energy. Other reactant
combinations could include metal with oxygen,
hydrogen with chlorine, carbon with oxygen, oxygen
with carbon monoxide, hydrogen with oxygen, and
nitrogen with hydrogen.
Nitroglycerin
• Was the first high explosive used in
commercial blasting.
• It is considered dangerous because it is an
unstable chemical.
In the late 1800's, Alfred Nobel
combined a mixture of nitroglycerine
(NG) with a special type of clay called
kieselghur, which he packed into
sticks. The resulting dynamites were
the first type of high explosive that was
safer to use. Dynamites do not
accidentally explode when hammered,
dropped, or burned.
Dynamite contents
• Nitroglycerin or NG
• EGDN (ethylene glycol dinitrate)
• Sawdust wrapped in buff, red, white, or orange wax
paper
• Support compound
• ammonia gelatin
Nitroglycerine Type of Dynamite

1.Straight Dynamite
2.Ammonia Dynamite
3.Gelatin Dynamite
4.Ammonia-Gelatin Dynamite
 • Its NG content makes it the most dangerous type of
dynamite to handle and store
• NG vapor is quickly absorbed, thus causing severe
Straight headache Produces toxic fumes that make them unsuitable
for underground or confined space blasting
Dynamite • Handler should be extremely cautious if NG content is
leaking Sodium nitrate is often added to it to supply
oxygen and increase strength
• Has a velocity of 17,000 psi
• Has a heavy odor that is pungent yet sweet
 • Has a tan to light brown color
• Lower cost and less sensitive than straight
dynamite
• Portion of NG is replaced by ammonia and
Ammonia sodium nitrate
Dynamite • Percentage strength ranging from 5% to 70%
• Pushing heavy effect
• Detonation velocity ranging from 3,600 to
13,000 fps
• Possesses same odor effect as straight dynamite
and may cause headaches resulting from the
NG base Most widely used dynamite
 • Detonation velocities up to 23,600 fps
• Percentage strength ranging from 20% to
100%
• Unconfined, lower percentage strength that
Gelatin can detonate at 7,000 fps; confined
percentage strength of up to 13,000 fps
Dynamite • Consists of water resistant gel made of
sodium, nitrocellulose, and nitroglycerine
• Suitable for wet blasting on tough rock or ore
• Has a semi-gel consistency with properties
shared with ammonia and ammonia-gelatin
dynamites
 • Similar characteristics as those of the
gelatin dynamite, but uses less costly
ammonium nitrate as part of the
Ammonia- Gelatin
explosive mixture
Dynamite
• Percentage strength ranging from
25% to 90%.
• Detonation rate ranging from 7,000 to
13,000 fps
 Initiating or primary explosives (initiators)
• These types of explosives are highly sensitive to shock,
friction or heat, and under normal conditions can
detonate violently instead of burning.
• Also referred to as primers, blasting caps or
detonators , primary explosives are generally used to
set off other explosives and must be handled with
great care.
• Examples of primary explosives include mercury,
fulminate, lead stypnate, lead azide, and pycric acid.
 Non-initiating explosives
• Explosives are relatively insensitive to heat, friction or shock,
and will normally burn than detonate when ignited in small
quantities in the open air.
• This group consists of the majority of high explosives used for
military and commercial blasting.
• Typical examples include dynamite, Trinitrotoluene INT),
Cyclotrimethyltrinitramine (RDX), Pentaerythritol tetranitrate
PETN), and Tetryl (2,4,6-trinitrophenylmethylnitramine).
Ammonium nitrate detonates at velocities between 3,300
feet/second, while HMX detonates at 29,900 feet/second.
 Common
Commercial
Explosives
 One of the most commonly found
Blasting caps explosives used to set off main charge.
These are small thin cylinders with
silver and copper color with 0.25 to
0.5 inch diameter and 2 to 6 inches in
length. It contain powerful and
sensitive explosive. Even the heat in
the person’s hand can set off a
blasting caps.
Safety Fuse

A time-delay devise much like

a firecracker fuse. It has a black
powder core and waterproof
jacket of solid striped color
Detonating Cord

Usually, this has a white

exterior containing PETN. This
is used to set off multiple
charges simultaneously.
Blasting agents
A blasting agent is any material or
mixture consisting of a fuel and
oxidizer that is intended for
blasting and that is not otherwise
classified as an explosive.
Boosters
Cylinder shaped with holes
in which blasting cap is
inserted. This is used to
imcrease the power of the
initiating charges.
Dynamites
Cartridge or sticks
typically 1 to 3 inches
in diameter and 8 to 24
inches in length.
Slurries or gels

Liquids and semi-liquid

form of commercial
explosive.
Black or smokeless powder

Common over the counter

explosive used in reloading
gun ammunitions
Common
Military
Explosives
Grenades
Fuses
- Used to initiate explosive in any warhead.
2 types of fuses:
1.Point detonated- by impact, proximity or
delay
2.Variable time- detonates when the
warhead is at certain distance.
Ammunitions
Rockets and missiles
Mines
Submunitions
Air Drop
Incendiaries
Explosion
Is a violent bursting or expansion caused by
the release of mechanical, chemical or nuclear
energy from a confined area. This is a
phenomenon resulting from a sudden release
of energy and this happens so rapidly that a
local accumulation of energy occurs at the
site of explosion moving outward in various
ways.
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