Explosive Compositions Containing Glycerin

Abstract

Glycerin-containing explosive compositions comprising at least an oxidizer and glycerin are provided. The explosive compositions may comprise a glycerin, such as impure or crude glycerin, modified crude glycerin, substantially pure glycerin or pure glycerin. The explosive compositions may comprise other combustible fuels such as fuel oil or carbonaceous material(s). The explosive compositions may be prepared on site, loaded in bulk on mobile platforms, and/or prepared and packaged in suitable containers.

1 . An explosive composition comprising a glycerin and at least one oxidizer. 
     
     
         2 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one non-glycerin combustible fuel. 
     
     
         3 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the glycerin is provided in a solution comprising methanol and the glycerin. 
     
     
         4 . The explosive composition of  claim 3 , wherein the glycerin is derived from a biomass fuel source. 
     
     
         5 . The explosive composition of  claim 3 , wherein the glycerin is crude glycerin. 
     
     
         6 . The explosive composition of  claim 3 , wherein the glycerin is substantially pure glycerin. 
     
     
         7 . The explosive composition of  claim 3 , wherein the glycerin is pure glycerin. 
     
     
         8 . The explosive composition of  claim 4 , wherein the biomass fuel source is wood and forest residue, animal manure and waste, grains, plants, crops or aquatic plants. 
     
     
         9 . The explosive composition of  claim 5 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified by being neutralized. 
     
     
         10 . The explosive composition of  claim 9 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified by distillation before being neutralized, after being neutralized or before and after being neutralized. 
     
     
         11 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one non-glycerin combustible fuel is selected from the group consisting of fuel oil, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel, kerosene, alcohols, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polymeric product, waste motor oil, diethylene glycol, brake fluid, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, cellulosic materials, low density cellulosic materials, coal dust, coal powder and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one oxidizer is a solid inorganic oxidizer. 
     
     
         13 . The explosive composition of  claim 12 , wherein the at least one solid inorganic oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, guanidine nitrate, hydrazine nitrate, ammonium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate, calcium perchlorate, guanidine perchlorate, urea, urea nitrate, methylamine nitrate, hexamine nitrate, hexamine, ethylene diamine, ethylene diamine dinitrate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The explosive composition of  claim 13 , wherein the at least one solid inorganic oxidizer is ammonium nitrate, said ammonium nitrate comprising at least 50% of the solid inorganic oxidizer present in the explosive composition. 
     
     
         15 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the explosive composition has a poured bulk density from about 0.75 to about 1.25 g/cc. 
     
     
         16 . The explosive composition of  claim 15 , wherein the explosive composition has a poured bulk density from about 0.84 to about 0.95 g/cc. 
     
     
         17 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , wherein the explosive composition has an oxygen balance of about +5 to −20. 
     
     
         18 . The explosive composition of  claim 1 , additionally comprising at least one additive. 
     
     
         19 . The explosive composition of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, aluminum-magnesium alloys, ferrophosphorus, ferrosilicon, lead, lead salts, trinitrotoluene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         20 . The explosive composition of  claim 19 , additionally comprising glass microspheres. 
     
     
         21 . The explosive composition of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of guar gums, gum arabic, starches, xanthan gums, polyacrylamide, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, antimonates, pyroantimonates, potassium antimony tartrate, dichromates, borates, sodium tetraborate, tannic acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         22 . An explosive composition comprising a glycerin, ammonium nitrate, and a non-glycerin combustible fuel oil. 
     
     
         23 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the glycerin is derived from a biomass fuel source. 
     
     
         24 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the glycerin is crude glycerin. 
     
     
         25 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the glycerin is substantially pure glycerin. 
     
     
         26 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the glycerin is pure glycerin. 
     
     
         27 . The explosive composition of  claim 23 , wherein biomass fuel source is wood and forest residue, animal manure and waste, grains, plants, crops or aquatic plants. 
     
     
         28 . The explosive composition of  claim 24 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified by being neutralized. 
     
     
         29 . The explosive composition of  claim 28 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified by distillation before being neutralized, after being neutralized or before and after being neutralized. 
     
     
         30 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the glycerin is at least about 5% by weight, and wherein the percent by weight is determined solely on the relative portions of glycerin, ammonium nitrate, and non-glycerin combustible fuel oil. 
     
     
         31 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the ammonium nitrate is 50-94% by weight. 
     
     
         32 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the combustible non-glycerin fuel oil is 1-6% by weight. 
     
     
         33 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , wherein the explosive composition has an oxygen balance of about +5 to −20. 
     
     
         34 . The explosive composition of  claim 22 , additionally comprising a gelling agent or other thickening additive. 
     
     
         35 . An explosive composition comprising crude glycerin derived from a biomass fuel source, at least one oxidizer, and at least one non-glycerin combustible fuel. 
     
     
         36 . The explosive composition of  claim 35 , wherein the biomass fuel source is wood and forest residue, animal manure and waste, grains, plants, crops or aquatic plants. 
     
     
         37 . The explosive composition of  claim 36 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified. 
     
     
         38 . The explosive composition of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one non-glycerin combustible fuel is selected from the group consisting of fuel oil, heating oil, diesel fuel, jet fuel, kerosene, alcohols, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, polymeric product, waste motor oil, diethylene glycol, brake fluid, isopropyl alcohol, ethanol, cellulosic materials, low density cellulosic materials, coal dust, coal powder and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         39 . The explosive composition of  claim 35 , wherein the at least one oxidizer is a solid inorganic oxidizer. 
     
     
         40 . The explosive composition of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one solid inorganic oxidizer is selected from the group consisting of ammonium nitrate, sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, calcium nitrate, guanidine nitrate, hydrazine nitrate, ammonium perchlorate, sodium perchlorate, calcium perchlorate, guanidine perchlorate, urea, urea nitrate, methylamine nitrate, hexamine nitrate, hexamine, ethylene diamine, ethylene diamine dinitrate, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         41 . The explosive composition of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one solid inorganic oxidizer is ammonium nitrate, said ammonium nitrate comprising at least 50% of the solid inorganic oxidizer present in the explosive composition. 
     
     
         42 . The explosive composition of  claim 35 , wherein the explosive composition has a poured bulk density from about 0.75 to about 1.25 g/cc. 
     
     
         43 . The explosive composition of  claim 42 , wherein the explosive composition has a poured bulk density from about 0.84 to about 0.95 g/cc. 
     
     
         44 . The explosive composition of  claim 35 , wherein the explosive composition has an oxygen balance of about +5 to −20. 
     
     
         45 . The explosive composition of  claim 35 , additionally comprising at least one additive. 
     
     
         46 . The explosive composition of  claim 45 , wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, magnesium, aluminum-magnesium alloys, ferrophosphorus, ferrosilicon, lead, lead salts, trinitrotoluene, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         47 . The explosive composition of  claim 46 , additionally comprising glass microspheres. 
     
     
         48 . The explosive composition of  claim 45 , wherein the at least one additive is selected from the group consisting of guar gums, gum arabic, starches, xanthan gums, polyacrylamide, cellulose, cellulose derivatives, antimonates, pyroantimonates, potassium antimony tartrate, dichromates, borates, sodium tetraborate, tannic acids, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         49 . An explosive composition prepared by a method comprising combining a glycerin, a solid inorganic oxidizer, and a non-glycerin combustible fuel. 
     
     
         50 . The explosive composition of  claim 49 , wherein the glycerin is derived from a biomass fuel source. 
     
     
         51 . The explosive composition of  claim 49 , wherein the glycerin is crude glycerin. 
     
     
         52 . The explosive composition of  claim 50 , wherein biomass fuel source is wood and forest residue, animal manure and waste, grains, plants, crops or aquatic plants. 
     
     
         53 . The explosive composition of  claim 51 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified. 
     
     
         54 . An explosive composition prepared by a method comprising combining crude glycerin derived from a biomass fuel source, a solid inorganic oxidizer, and a non-glycerin combustible fuel. 
     
     
         55 . The explosive composition of  claim 54 , wherein biomass fuel source is wood and forest residue, animal manure and waste, grains, plants, crops or aquatic plants. 
     
     
         56 . The explosive composition of  claim 54 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified by being neutralized. 
     
     
         57 . The explosive composition of  claim 56 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified further by distillation before being neutralized, after being neutralized or before and after being neutralized. 
     
     
         58 . A packaged blasting agent comprising an explosive composition, wherein the explosive composition comprises a glycerin, ammonium nitrate, and a non-glycerin combustible fuel oil, and wherein said explosive composition is contained in a water-resistant package or is coated with a water-blocking agent. 
     
     
         59 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 58 , wherein explosive composition is coated with a water-blocking agent, said water-blocking agent is a guar gum or a water in oil emulsion. 
     
     
         60 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 58 , wherein of the explosive composition has an oxygen balance of about +5 and −20. 
     
     
         61 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 58 , wherein the explosive composition additionally comprises a gelling agent or other thickening additive. 
     
     
         62 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 58 , wherein the glycerin is derived from a biomass fuel source. 
     
     
         63 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 58 , wherein the glycerin is crude glycerin. 
     
     
         64 . The explosive composition of  claim 63 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified. 
     
     
         65 . A packaged blasting agent comprising an explosive composition, wherein the explosive composition comprises crude glycerin derived from a biomass fuel source, ammonium nitrate, and a non-glycerin combustible fuel oil, and wherein said explosive composition is contained in a water-resistant package or is coated with a water-blocking agent. 
     
     
         66 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 65 , wherein explosive composition is coated with a water-blocking agent, said water-blocking agent is a guar gum or a water in oil emulsion. 
     
     
         67 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 65 , wherein of the explosive composition has an oxygen balance of about +5 and −20. 
     
     
         68 . The packaged blasting agent of  claim 65 , wherein the explosive composition additionally comprises a gelling agent or other thickening additive. 
     
     
         69 . The explosive composition of  claim 65 , wherein biomass fuel source is wood and forest residue, animal manure and waste, grains, plants, crops or aquatic plants. 
     
     
         70 . The explosive composition of  claim 65 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified. 
     
     
         71 . A method for preparing an explosive composition comprising combining a glycerin, a solid inorganic oxidizer, and at least one non-glycerin combustible fuel. 
     
     
         72 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the solid inorganic oxidizer is ammonium nitrate. 
     
     
         73 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the ammonium nitrate is provided in a form selected from the group consisting of prills, granules, crystals, pellets, fines, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         74 . The method of  claim 72 , wherein the ammonium nitrate is provided as prills. 
     
     
         75 . The method of  claim 74 , wherein the ammonium nitrate prills have a density of 0.6-0.85 grams per cubic centimeters. 
     
     
         76 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the glycerin is derived from a biomass fuel source. 
     
     
         77 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the glycerin is crude glycerin. 
     
     
         78 . The method of  claim 77 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified. 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 71 , wherein the combining is followed by mixing, wherein the combining and the mixing occur on a mobile platform. 
     
     
         80 . A method for preparing an explosive composition comprising combining a crude glycerin derived from a biomass fuel source, ammonium nitrate, and a non-glycerin combustible fuel oil. 
     
     
         81 . The method  80 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified. 
     
     
         82 . A method of using an explosive composition comprising loading the explosive composition of  claim 1  into a blast hole and detonating the explosive composition. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the glycerin is derived from a biomass fuel source. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 82 , wherein the glycerin is crude glycerin. 
     
     
         85 . The explosive composition of  claim 84 , wherein the crude glycerin is modified.