MANUFACTURING METHOD FOR POROUS AMMONIUM NITRATE

摘要

A method of producing explosive grade porous ammonium nitrate from any type of prilled or granulated nonporous substrate, including those containing additives used to modify physical and mechanical properties. The inventive method comprises wetting the substrate with an aqueous solution of ammonium nitrate in quantities equivalent to 0.2-3 % of actual water and heating the substrate up to a temperature sufficient to ensure that the phase III->II polymorphic transition has occurred. After the thermal treatment, the porous product can be mixed with oil directly, or dried and cooled using standard engineering procedures. The water content of the substrate throughout the actual III->II transition period must be maintained at least at 120 % of the quantity required to fully hydrate all the hydratable additives present in the substrate but not less than 0.2 % of the weight of the substrate.