Influence of Explosive Charge Diameter on the Detonation Velocity Based on Emulinit 7L and 8L Bulk Emulsion Explosives

One of the main parameters describing the properties of explosives is the velocity of detonation, which can be defined as the propagation speed of the chemical reaction zone in the detonating explosive. The detonation velocity of an explosive depends on many parameters, such as the material’s density or diameter and the shell of an explosive, plus the degree of crystal fragmentation, the initiation method and the content of particular components. The effectiveness of blasting work in underground mines depends primarily on the proper selection of the hole diameter, hole length, the distance between the holes and the delays of the detonators used. This article presents the results of studies investigating the influence of the diameter of a bulk emulsion explosive charge on the detonation velocity using a MicroTrapTM VOD/Data Recorder manufactured by MREL, Canada. The underground tests were developed in the “Polkowice-Sieroszowice” copper mine in Poland.