Patent ID: 11565981

Abstract:
An explosive, in particular a water-in-oil emulsion explosive, comprising a water-based explosive composition and a gas, wherein the gas is infused with two different ranges of sizes of nanobubbles, to provide controlled hotspots for detonation to improve emulsion stability and detonation sensitivity. Into the Nano Bubble tank (31) are fed the pressurised gas in water through valve (26) and also a sample is fed into the Nano Bubble tank (31). This then provides the NanoBubble Input NBIbp1 to be fed by NB Feed Pump (33) into static mixer (51). Also fed to the Static Mixer (51) by matrix pump (41) is the explosives containing PIBSA (Poly-Iso-Butylene Succinic Anhydride) in emulsion form as Emulsion Input EInp1 from Emulsion Matrix truck. The static mixer allows for the gas to be infused into the water-based explosive composition in at least a substantial part in the form of nanobubbles (NB) which then forms a controlled explosive output for use in the blast hole (61) by the bubbles acting as a sensitiser as so called “hot spots” which transfer the energy throughout the explosive charge once initiated. This allows the thermal “hot spot” detonation wave to travel through and carries the explosive to a full and controlled detonation.