Feb 17, 2026

US12552729 - Mechanically-gassed emulsion explosives and methods related thereto

Emulsion explosives with gas bubbles that are resistant to in-borehole migration or coalescence are disclosed herein. Such emulsions can be sensitized by mechanically-introducing gas bubbles into the emulsion. Resistance to gas bubble migration and coalescence can be achieved by homogenization, without the need for bubble stabilization agents.

Assignee: Dyno Nobel Inc.
Inventors: John B. Halander, Casey L. Nelson, Cornelis L. Kome
Filing date: 2022-07-28

This patent describes a method for creating mechanically-gassed emulsion explosives that are resistant to gas bubble migration and coalescence by using a two-part oxidizer salt solution and homogenization techniques. The resulting emulsion explosive has a significantly increased viscosity and does not require bubble stabilizing agents, enhancing its stability and performance.

Claim 1

1 . A method of delivering an emulsion explosive, the method comprising: splitting an oxidizer salt solution into a first portion and a second portion; mixing the first portion of the oxidizer salt solution with a fuel and a pressurized gas to form a low viscosity fuel-rich emulsion explosive, wherein the fuel is substantially devoid of a bubble stabilizing agent; mixing the second portion of the oxidizer salt solution into the fuel-rich emulsion explosive to form a more-balanced emulsion explosive with increased viscosity by about 6,000 cP to about 20,000 cP relative to the fuel-rich emulsion explosive; and homogenizing the more-balanced emulsion explosive to form a homogenized emulsion explosive with further increased viscosity relative to the more-balanced emulsion explosive. splitting an oxidizer salt solution into a first portion and a second portion; mixing the first portion of the oxidizer salt solution with a fuel and a pressurized gas to form a low viscosity fuel-rich emulsion explosive, wherein the fuel is substantially devoid of a bubble stabilizing agent; mixing the second portion of the oxidizer salt solution into the fuel-rich emulsion explosive to form a more-balanced emulsion explosive with increased viscosity by about 6,000 cP to about 20,000 cP relative to the fuel-rich emulsion explosive; and homogenizing the more-balanced emulsion explosive to form a homogenized emulsion explosive with further increased viscosity relative to the more-balanced emulsion explosive.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12552729

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12552729