Heavy ANFO and a tailored expanded polymeric density control agent
AssigneeLDE Corporation
InventorKevin H. Waldock
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Abstract
The present invention is directed to an explosive composition comprised of heavy ANFO and expanded polymeric beads that have a density that is less than the density of the heavy ANFO. The expanded polymeric beads have a size that is determined or based on the size of ammonium nitrate prills used in the heavy ANFO portion of the composition. In one embodiment, the expanded polymeric beads that are utilized in the composition are at least 70% of the lower limit of the mesh size of the predominant ammonium nitrate prill mesh size. In another embodiment, the expanded polymeric beads are at least 70% of a size that is related to the average mesh size of the ammonium nitrate prills.
Claims10
An explosive composition comprising:
- a heavy ANFO comprising ammonium nitrate prills, fuel oil, and a water-in-oil emulsion explosive;
- and
- expanded polymeric beads;
- wherein the water-in-oil emulsion explosive comprises an inorganic oxidizing salt;
- wherein the water-in-oil emulsion explosive has a density greater than 1.25 g/cc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.