On-demand lead azide production

A process for the on-demand production of small quantities of lead azide, said process being carried out in a reactor assembly within one or more explosion-proof chambers, said reactor assembly comprising:

• means for providing a first stream of water into which a metered amount of an azide component comprising sodium azide may be introduced;
• means for providing a second stream of water into which a metered amount of a lead component comprising a solution of a lead salt may be introduced;
• means for combining said first stream of water with said second stream of water, which means comprises a T-mixer or a Y-mixer having no moving parts;
• a static mixer in which said azide component and said lead component may react without stirring;
• and,
• means to separate insoluble crystals of lead azide as a slurry from an aqueous medium;
• said process comprising the sequential steps of:
• providing a first stream of water and introducing into said first stream of water an azide component comprising sodium azide through the effect of the first stream providing means;
• providing a second stream of water and introducing into said second stream of water a lead component comprising a solution of a lead salt sufficient to react with said azide component introduced into said first stream of water, said second stream providing being performed through the effect of the second stream providing means, whereby said resulting streams are combined to form a reaction mixture, wherein said reaction mixture is produced in the combining means through the effect of the T-mixer having no moving parts or the Y-mixer having no moving parts;
• conveying said reaction mixture into the static mixer and permitting said azide component and said lead component to react together without stirring,
• forming insoluble crystals of lead azide as a slurry in the aqueous medium;
• and
• separating said lead azide crystals from said aqueous medium.