US 5,672,839 A · Method and apparatus for controlled refining of explosive compositions

Abstract

An apparatus for the controlled refining of an emulsion explosive composition is shown. The apparatus includes a pump for pumping the pumpable explosive composition, a conduit for transporting the explosive composition away from the pump, and a refining or shear valve located in the conduit. Also provided is control instrumentation which allows the amount of refining to be monitored. The preferred control instrumentation comprises a first pressure indicator located on an upstream side of said valve, the second pressure indicator located on the downstream side of said valve, and an adjustor associated with the valve to allow the valve to be adjusted to produce a predetermined pressure difference between the first and second pressure indicators.

Claims11

Dependent claims

An apparatus for pumping and thickening pumpable explosive compositions, the apparatus comprising:

a pump means for pumping said pumpable explosive;
a conduit for transporting said explosive composition away from said pump;
a refining means located in said conduit;
a control means for measuring a parameter which is related to the amount of refining occurring in said refining means the control means comprising a first sensor upstream of said refining means, and a second sensor downstream of said refining means;
and
an adjustor associated with said refining means to permit real time control of the refining of the pumpable explosive wherein said adjustor is adjusted to cause said refining means to produce a predetermined optimum value of said measured parameter.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Method and apparatus for controlled refining of explosive compositions

Life of this patent

Method and apparatus for controlled refining of explosive compositions

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims11