A pressurized vessel test to measure the Minimum Burning Pressure of emulsion explosives

It is well known that emulsion explosives locally ignited in closed vessels do not undergo sustained combustion when the pressure is lower than some threshold value. The latter is usually referred to as the Minimum Burning Pressure (MBP) of the explosive and is now being used by some manufacturers as a basis of safety for many associated manufacture, transport, and handling processes. In the present work, both an apparatus based on hot-wire ignition and an associated methodology were developed to measure the MBP of emulsion explosives. Typical formulation of emulsion explosives in China was been measured. Water content, oil phase, emulsifiers and inorganic salts are all have important influence to MBP value. It is also shown that the MBP is a very important and useful safety parameter as, if an emulsion explosive formation pressure is maintained below its MBP, accidental ignition and propagation should not be possible.