Abstract: A means is provided for stabilizing polysaccharide-thickened aqueous solutions by including in the thickened solution from 0.01% to 1% w/w of a thiuram sulphide or thiomorpholine compound as stabilizer. These stabilizers provide improved resistance against breakdown of the gels and separation of the gel ingredients particularly when the gels are exposed to elevated temperatures. The invention has application in the fields of paints, pharmaceuticals, printing, explosives or wherever polysaccharide-thickened aqueous solutions are employed.

Abstract: In conventional processes for manufacturing phosphoric acid, sulphuric acid is reacted with phosphate rock to produce weak phosphoric acid which is concentrated using steam from the associated sulphuric acid manufacturing operation. Low grade heat from the absorbers and drier of the sulphuric acid manufacturing plant has been wasted. According to the invention waste heat from the drier and one or more absorbers of the sulphuric acid manufacturing plant is used in all the evaporators of the phosphoric acid plant. The evaporators all operate at low pressures and their heaters are arranged in series, to enable the heat to be used at the relatively low temperatures available. The valuable steam is thus freed for other uses.

Abstract: An explosive or stemming package is provided which is self-retaining in vertical or inclined up-holes in stable rock. The package containing a flowable material, for example, slurry explosives, consists of a thin-walled cylindrical bag having at least one longitudinal, external pleat held closed by means of an adhered overcovering or tape. With the package held in position in the up-hole by a push rod, the tape is severed by means of a rip cord allowing the pleat to open. The slumping contents press the package closely against the borehole wall for secure retention without additional support. Improved coupling of the explosive charge to the rock is also provided giving enhanced blasting efficiency.

Abstract: An emulsion explosive composition comprising an oxygen-supplying salt component as a discontinuous phase, an organic medium forming a continuous phase and an emulsifying agent which comprises at least one conventional emulsifier and at least one emulsification enhancer. The compositions are easily emulsifiable.

Abstract: A process and apparatus is provided for the continuous manufacture of a water-in-oil explosive emulsion precursor. Separate streams of the water phase component and the oil phase component are introduced into an in-line motionless mixer. A chosen portion of the output from the mixer is recirculated and returned to the motionless mixer for further emulsification. The process allows for the production of a very high phase ratio water-to-oil emulsion (up to 95% water phase) without phase inversion after long storage. The precursor is simply converted to a sensitive explosive by means of known density lowering techniques.

Abstract: A water-in-wax emulsion explosive composition is provided wherein the continuous carbonaceous fuel phase comprises paraffin wax together with a minor amount of a rheology modifier and stabilizer combination comprising an ethylene-containing polymer and a low molecular weight hydrocarbon liquid. The resulting explosive composition exhibits properties of viscosity and stability comparable to similar compositions containing highly refined microcrystalline wax fuels.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for the efficient and safe manufacture of batch quantities of non-cap-sensitive emulsion explosives. The method employs none of the high shear mixing or homogenizing techniques of the prior art and hence hazards from heat and mechanical breakdown (impact) are eliminated. The method consists of tumbling the oil phase of the emulsion in a rotating, internally baffled mixer and slowly adding thereto the aqueous phase. The resulting emulsion explosive is detonable by boostering in large diameter charges.

Abstract: A primer assembly is provided for use in vertical boreholes wherein the primer charge is initiated by means of electric blasting caps, the electric caps, in turn, being initiated electromagnetically. A covered, cup-shaped primer assembly contains a toroid transformer element and connected electric blasting cap in detonating relationship with a primer explosive charge. The assembly is arranged to receive therethrough a looped wire conductor which conductor passes freely through the toroid transformer. When an energy source is coupled to the looped conductor, a magnetic flux is induced in the toroid transformer which sets off the cap and primer charge. The assembly may be passed freely or slid along the looped conductor to any location in the borehole. The assembly permits the use of electric time-delay, deck-charge blasting without the usual hazards associated with normal electric cap blasting.

Abstract: A polyethylene shipping bag having an internal nylon barrier coating which permits packaging of materials which normally migrate through polyethylene. The coating is flexographically applied from a nylon solution in a lower aliphatic alcohol with up to 15% water to a polyethylene film which has been previously treated to make it receptive to printing ink. The bag may be single ply or double ply and may have a filling valve.

Abstract: A thermoplastic film package containing a blasting explosive is provided having utility in secondary blasting operations. The package comprises superimposed film panels joined along their periphery to form a bag and having closeable neck-like openings at opposite ends of the bag. The package lends itself to fabrication from flat film or sheet by heat-sealing techniques and may be filled with explosives on continuous packaging apparatus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for cartridging viscous explosives mixtures, such as emulsion explosives, in convolutely wound paper tubes. The method comprises winding a section of paper film on a rotating hollow mandrel, closing one end of the wound paper tube, injecting the explosives mixture through the hollow mandrel into the paper tube upon the mandrel, removing the filled tube from the mandrel and closing the tube open end. The method replaces higher cost plastic chub packages with low cost paper and allows the efficient and economic production of sensitive small-diameter cartridges wherein the occluded air or gas is not dissipated during cartridging.

Abstract: A two-component emulsion explosive composition is provided consisting of a continuous oil/fuel phase and a discontinuous aqueous oxidizer salt phase and, as an emulsifier, a dimer acid glyceride wherein the dimer acid has a carbon atom chain length of C18-C60. The composition demonstrates superior properties of long period storage stability and sensitivity.

Abstract: A semi-automatic, semi-continuous method is provided for the manufacture of cast explosive boosters. The method makes us of a mold assembly which is transported through filling, cooling and disassembly stations in a substantially continuous manner with little or no manual intervention. The method is adaptable to the manufacture of sheath/core or multiple layer boosters employing two explosives of different sensitivities. The method results in reduced operating costs and improved safety.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in the operation of a long vertical shaft bioreactor in the treatment of waste which comprises circulating waste liquor and oxygenating gas through the bioreactor in which the uppermost portion of the shaft (the surface basin) is under supra-atmospheric pressure. The use of a pressurized surface basin subjects the waste to improved oxidizing conditions in a critical zone of the bioreactor and results in more effective biodegradation of the waste. By precise control of surface basin pressure, adequate levels of oxygen in the waste are maintained for biodegradation purposes while unwanted gas, such as carbon dioxide and nitrogen, are disengaged. The pressure on the surface of the waste in the basin is controlled so as to ensure that the concentration of oxygen in the waste is subsaturated and retained while the unwanted gas concentration is super saturated and becomes disengaged.

Abstract: A water-in-oil emulsion explosive composition is provided wherein the continuous carbonaceous oil or fuel phase comprises an unrefined or partly refined petroleum product, for example, slackwax. The resulting explosive composition exhibits properties of strength, detonation velocity and stability comparable and in some cases superior to similar compositions containing refined petroleum fuels.

Abstract: A composite electrode made up by stacking a multiplicity of alternate anode plates and cathode plates the adjacent surfaces of which are insulated from each other by a thin film of an insulating material such as fluon, kynar, PVC, etc. With this composite electrode, a K value of 0.100 to 0.150 can be easily achieved in the electrolytic production of chlorates and hypochlorites.

Abstract: A process for making calcium hypochlorite from caustic soda calcium hydroxide and chlorine by feeding to a stirred reactor an aqueous solution of the total required amount of caustic soda and an aqueous suspension of up to 80% by weight of the total required amount of calcium hydroxide, passing chlorine through the mixture until a redox potential of 650 to 800 mV is reached and while continuing chlorination adding the remaining of the calcium hydroxide at such rate with respect to chlorine that redox potential gradually increases to between 850 and 950 mV. This process prevents thickening and caking which are a recognized problem with conventional batch processes.

Abstract: An improved nitrogen gas generating pyrotechnic composition is provided which consist of a stoichiometric mixture of an alkali metal azide or alkaline earth metal axide fuel and an oxidant consisting of a mixture of at least two metal oxides selected from the oxides of iron, silicon, manganese, tantalum, niobium and tin. The mixed metal oxides provide a synergistic effect and result in a composition having improved ignition delay time, burn rate and gas pressure as well as a reduction in toxic by-products and dust.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus is provided for the treatment of sewage waste in a long vertical shaft bioreactor wherein waste sewage is caused to circulate under air injected oxidizing conditions around a loop comprising adjacent riser and downcomer chambers connected at their upper and lower ends. The improved method comprises the steps of introducing influent waste at depth into the riser chamber at a point higher in the riser than the point of air injection and withdrawing treated effluent from the riser at a point lower in the riser than the point of air injection. A separation chamber may also be operatively connected to the riser chamber to recover sludge for return to the bioreactor. The method provides an improvement in oxygen uptake rate and reduces the anoxic zone in the reactor thus providing additional capacity for BOD.sub.5 removal.

Abstract: A process for the continuous preparation of a slurry of calcium hypochlorite wherein a solution of sodium hydroxide is fed to one end of an elongated tubular reaction and a calcium hydroxide slurry and chlorine are introduced through a number of injection sites along the length of the reactor. The redox potential of the reaction mixture at any injection site must not be inferior to that at the immediately preceding site and must be in the range 900 to 950 mV at the exit end of the reactor. The process permits easy control of the reaction temperature and of the viscosity of the reaction mixture.