Eutectic KNO3-NaNO3-sugar alcohol as an explosive‏

According to Captain Bertrand R. Brinley's 1960 book, Rocket Manual for Amateurs, chapter 3, page  96-97, increases the power of an explosive as the cube of the weight. "Two ounces of an explosive is 8 times as powerful as one ounce. Three ounces is 27 times as powerful. Five ounces is 125 times as powerful."

We have seen how 3g 170°C hot liquid  eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-Mannitol deflagrates. If this rule of thumb is true, 1kg liquid  eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-Mannitol would be around 333³ = 36926037 as powerful as 3g. Difficult to imagine, but if it is even much less, hot liquid  eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol could be considered (and used) as an explosive. Solid eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol is cheap, very easy to manufacture and safe to handle.

Liquid  eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol could be cast in an according heat- and pressure-proof container. The container would then be closed after the eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol is hardened and encased with a heat up charge (end burner configuration). While the heat up charge burns away it would heat and liquefy the eutectic KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol inside the container. It would need to be determined, which effect the pressure increase in the container has on the melting point of the KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol. However, the pressure increase will increase the burn rate further.

Ignition of the liquid KNO₃-NaNO₃-sugar alcohol can be finally done by an electric match or reaching the auto ignition temperature of the sugar alcohol by the heat up charge.

 

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