Influence of Low‐Density Ammonium Nitrate Prills Doping on Bulk Emulsion Explosive: Its Detonation Performance and Shock Wave Propagation

ABSTRACT Bulk emulsion explosives became the most widely used industrial explosives because of their improved operational safety, on‐site manufacturing, and easy handling. However, its lower strength limits its application as compared to package emulsion explosives. This study aims to investigate the effect of low‐density ammonium nitrate (LDAN) prills, used as additives in bulk emulsion explosive to enhance its detonation performance. In‐depth analysis of detonation behaviour was performed to understand the impact of the LDAN prill content on the bulk emulsion explosives. Moreover, the stability of the prepared bulk explosives with various LDAN prill content was studied under normal air and water in a hole condition. Further, to comprehend the effect of LDAN content on bulk emulsion explosives, a viscosity analysis of the prepared explosives was conducted at various temperatures. Importantly, the propagation of shock waves produced by detonation was monitored using high‐speed recording. Furthermore, the speed of the shock wave was evaluated using an image analysis method. Additionally, a study focused on quantitatively measuring air pressure over time caused by detonation was performed. Results indicated that optimal LDAN prill content (i.e. ≤15% by wt.) was found to increase detonation performance significantly without compromising the safety and handling properties of the bulk emulsion explosive. However, excessive LDAN prill content led to a reduction in detonation efficiency.