5030
Epic Contributor
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2003
- Messages
- 26,986
- Location
- SE Michigan in the middle of nowhere
- Tractor
- Kubota M9000 HDCC3 M9000 HDC
I don't believe urea is an explosive like Ammonium Nitrate. I recall reading that in the early days, the Ammonium Nitrate prill was coated with wax...basically a ready made bomb, especially in a big fire. They eventually wised up and I believe it's coated with bentonite clay or something similar today.
It's not but.... It will produce heat if allowed to draw humidity because moisture causes it to convert from Urea to N and the chemical transformation causes heat. Why it's sold (as well as AN) in heat sealed plastic sacks today. So long as both remain dry and stored with some common sense, both are harmless. Much lass harmless than say anhydrous ammonia which causes immediate respiratory failure and possibly death if inhaled. I much prefer granulated versus liquid anhydrous.
All the explosions (including the Beirut explosion are directly attributable to careless storage and not following common sense guidelines.
Far as mixing diesel fuel with AN when blasting. the diesel fuel AN mix makes the AN easier to handle because the paste can be put in a wet hole bag and stay there whereas dry AN would dribble out and the diesel provides an additional flammable agent, so it has to do with handling of the AN as it relates to charging the bags more than anything.