Process for the low-pollution operation of an explosion device and suitable explosion device for implementing this process

An explosion device for use in connection with the explosive disposal of a material and the explosive forming of a workpiece, said device comprising

• at least one explosion chamber which is anchored in a foundation,
• a lock chamber including an inner door for transferring an explosive mixture from said lock chamber into said explosion chamber and an outer door for removing material from said lock chamber, said inner door being operable, in a closed position, to prevent communication between said explosion chamber and said lock chamber,
• means in said explosion chamber for absorbing the explosive energy generated by the explosion of an explosive mixture in said explosion chamber,
• a vacuum system, and
• means connecting said vacuum system to said lock chamber and to said explosion chamber for establishing a vacuum condition within said lock chamber and within said explosion chamber.

A method for operating an explosion device comprising an explosion chamber, a hermetically scaled preparation chamber and a lock chamber, in connection with the explosive disposal of a material and the explosive forming of a workpiece, said method comprising the steps of

• placing an explosive mixture into the preparation chamber where the explosive mixture is isolated from the environment,
• transferring the explosive mixture to the lock chamber,
• evacuating the lock chamber with a vacuum to produce a subatmospheric pressure condition in the lock chamber,
• transferring the explosive mixture from the lock chamber to the explosion chamber,
• evacuating the explosive chamber with a vacuum to produce a subatmospheric pressure condition in the explosion chamber,
• initiating explosive combustion of the explosive mixture in the explosion chamber,
• evacuating the gaseous reaction products of the explosive combustion from the explosion chamber and
• removing solid reaction products from the explosive combustion from the explosion chamber through the lock chamber.