3 ms·
Ammonium nitrate does not require fuel to detonate. Even if you add heavy diesel, you will still be need to use the same boosters (usually PETN) that you would
by jandrewrogers 6y ago
Ammonium nitrate does not require fuel to detonate. Even if you add heavy diesel, you will still be need to use the same boosters (usually PETN) that you would use for pure ammonium nitrate to achieve reliable detonation. Ammonium nitrate has a positive stoichiometric oxygen balance when it detonates so it is typically mixed with chemicals with a negative oxygen balance (such as heavy diesel) to inexpensively improve explosive performance. It has nothing to do with making it detonate.
While ammonium nitrate is quite difficult to detonate at room temperature, it becomes considerably less stable as it approaches its melting point, which is relatively low. Sensitivity can also be increased chemically but that requires significant effort and intent.
- jcims 6y agoWow, for some reason I always thought if it as a pure oxidizer (obviously not a chemistry expert here) and had no idea that it could detonate on its own. Great info, thank you!!!
- cricalix 6y agoThe US CSB video[0] on the incident at West, Texas is worth watching. Every video they do is worth watching to understand how processes can fail. 0: https://www.csb.gov/videos/dangerously-close-explosion-in-west-texas/ https://www.csb.gov/videos/dangerously-close-explosion-in-we...
- ekimekim 6y agoTheir website was itermittently 500ing for me, but the video was just embedded from youtube anyway so here's a direct link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdDuHxwD5R4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdDuHxwD5R4
- thdrdt 6y agoIn a lot of videos you can see a fire next to the storage facility. It was also a very hot day. So most people believe the temperature in the storage raised enough to make the ammonium nitrate unstable. Melting point: 169.6 °C