Water Blocking in Explosive Compositions

Abstract

An improved non-aqueous explosive composition for usage in wet blasting environs where the described embodiments are able to provide more efficient water blocking in ammonium nitrate and fuel oil explosive compositions than the prior art. One embodiment includes an oxidizer, fuel and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose used as a water-blocking agent. Another embodiment consists of an oxidizer, fuel and hydroxyethyl cellulose as a water blocker. Other embodiments include admixtures of carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A water resistant non-aqueous explosive composition, comprising;
 (a) an inorganic oxidizing salt from 75 to 94%,   (b) a carbonaceous fuel up to 10%, and   (c) a water-blocking additive comprising sodium carboxymethyl cellulose in the amount of 0.1-25%.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  where the water-blocking additive is hydroxyethyl cellulose. 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  where the water-blocking additive is an admixture of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and hydroxyethyl cellulose. 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 1  where the water-blocking additive is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose. 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 1  where the water-blocking additive is an admixture of the water blocking additive sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose. 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  where the water-blocking additive is an admixture of the water blocking additives sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose and guar gum. 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  where the inorganic oxidizing salt is ammonium nitrate. 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  where the carbonaceous fuel is fuel #2 fuel oil, ground coal, coke, gilsonite or mixtures thereof.