There have been numerous international instances over the last serval years in which pumping emulsion explosive has resulted in accidents, apparently as a result of increased thermal sensitivity under these conditions. The key quesitions for the explosive industry are (1) what are the parameters that influence the sensitivity of emulsion explosive and, (2) how do these various parameters interact. To address the sensitivity of emulsion explosives to varous parameters, a study was undertaken using an accelerating rate calorimeter (ARC) and a heat flux calorimeter (HFC). The effects of the addition of ammonium nitrate (AN) prills and different grades of aluminum (Al) on the thermal behaviour of emulsion explosive were determined. Additionally, changes in pressure, atmosphere (inert or oxidizing) and sample vessel material were assessed for their impact on thermal sensitivity.
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