ammonium nitrate explosion

Ammonium nitrate would only explode on its own if its temperature was rapidly raised to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. But if added to a fuel source, and subjected to intense stresses like heat and pressure, it can explode. Lebanon explosions: Ammonium nitrate - Fertilizer behind many industrial accidents Lebanon explosion: Massive Beirut blast kills more than 70, injures thousands The top devices for e-learning September 1921 im Werk der Badischen Anilin- & Soda-Fabrik in Oppau, das heute zu Ludwigshafen am Rhein gehört. A large explosion rocked the Lebanese capital Beirut on August 4. What leveled Beirut on Tuesday sounds eerily similar to descriptions of a massive 1947 explosion in Texas City, Texas. Nearby stores of … Ammonium nitrate stored at site of massive Beirut explosion: Officials At least 70 are dead and more than 3,500 are injured, authorities say. Beirut mayor Marwan Abboud told Agence France-Presse that 300,000 people are unable to return to their homes, as the damage covered half the city and could cost up to $15 billion to repair. A more likely explanation is that the ammonium nitrate in Beirut was not alone inside the warehouse. The decomposition temperature of pure ammonium nitrate is 170 °C, but recently Gunawan and Zhang [6] calculated that an intimate mixture of ammonium nitrate and pyrite can decompose at temperatures as low as 50 °C in blast holes more than 0.2 m in diameter. But how can such a chemical cause such a massive and destructive blast? Ammonium nitrate: what is it and why did it cause the blast in Beirut? This recent tragedy is devastating, and unfortunately, it’s not the first time this dangerous chemical compound has caused widespread damage. The captain closed the hold and pumped in pressurized steam. In April 1995, American terrorists Timothy McVeigh and Terry Nichols used two tons of the compound in a truck-bomb attack on the Oklahoma City federal building; 168 people were killed. That bomb, the GBU-43 Massive Ordnance Air Blast, has a net explosive weight of 18,700 pounds or roughly 9.35 tons of TNT, according to data from the U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center. Blast calculations suggest that at sea level, an explosion like Beirut’s would require about 1,000 tons of ammonium nitrate. Two days later, the death toll rose to at least 130 people with another 5,000 injured. An explosion of ammonium nitrate was responsible for the worst industrial accident in US history in 1947. John Ismay was a bomb disposal officer in the U.S. Navy before he became a reporter for The Times Magazine’s At War section. There were 2,750 tons of the fertilizer in the Beirut warehouse, roughly equivalent to 1,155 tons of TNT, which would produce a large enough blast wave to destroy most buildings within around 800 feet, and would shatter glass far beyond a range of 1.25 miles. However, if it is contaminated with impurities, the risk of it detonating increases. Lebanon was already dealing with political and financial woes, due in part to the Syrian migration crisis and the coronavirus pandemic. In 1947, an explosion in Texas City, Texas, killed at least 581 people and wounded 3,500 after two cargo ships carrying ammonium nitrate caught fire. Ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertilizers and bomb making, is a salt made from ammonium and nitric acid, and it is highly explosive. Fireworks and ammonium nitrate appear to have been the fuel that ignited a massive explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital of Beirut, experts and videos of the blast suggest. The explosion of large storage can happen primarily in two ways. Compared to most combustible materials, ammonium nitrate itself is not exceptionally explosive. The blast registered as magnitude 3.3 on the Richter scale, and caused devastation usually associated with major earthquakes. Calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), prepared from ammonium nitrate and calcium carbonate, is used in some cases as an alternative to ammonium nitrate. But David Chavez, an explosives scientist at the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, doubts that scenario. The huge change in phase creates a shockwave.”. All rights reserved. Moreover, the decomposition of ammonium nitrate can create byproducts known as nitrogen oxides, which are known to cause respiratory distress. The force of the ammonium nitrate explosion is provided by the rapid generation of gas as it breaks down. EPA 550 … Am Morgen um 7:32 Uhr kam es zu zwei kurz aufeinanderfolgenden Explosionen von etwa 400 Tonnen Ammoniumsulfatnitrat, einem Düngemittel. Any carbon-rich fuel—paper, cardboard, or even sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate to produce more intense energy. There are also longer-term effects to consider. By contrast, the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, in 1945 had a yield of at least 13,000 tons of TNT. Although we do not know exactly what happened yet in Beirut, the sheer size of the collected ammonium nitrate offers some clues. In 1921, about 4,500 tonnes of ammonium nitrate caused an explosion at a plant in Oppau, Germany, killing more than 500 people The deadliest industrial accident in … And just five years ago, an estimated 800 tons of ammonium nitrate fueled a warehouse explosion that leveled part of a port in the Chinese city of Tianjin, killing 173. Such investigations may take time. Add enough of the oxidizer to a fire, and it will trigger an explosion. There are several documented examples of deadly ammonium nitrate fire and explosion incidents in the past, some with large numbers of fatalities like in China in 2015 and in Texas in 1947. Ammonium nitrate has caused similar explosions in the past – including the Texas City Disaster of 1947, when almost nearly 500 people were killed in an explosion … Though Jeffrey Lewis, an arms control expert at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies, estimates it’s probably closer to 400 tons. A spherical cloud of water vapor formed as the shock wave raced outward, wrapping around the silos, and disappearing into downtown Beirut. The ammonium nitrate never made it to Mozambique, the source said, and instead was kept in a container at Beirut's port for over six years before exploding earlier this week. Videos taken closer to the explosion showed how a wall of compressed air shattered everything in its path as it moved closer, eventually sending the cameras themselves flying. The chemicals reportedly have been sitting by the docks since 2013. Annually, the world produces and stores enormous amounts of ammonium nitrate—more than 20 million tons in 2017. Videos posted online from the Beirut waterfront on Aug. 4 showed an epic disaster unfold with terrifying speed. Chinese authorities claimed the first explosion had been triggered after the heat of summer caused a highly flammable compound called nitrocellulose to spontaneously catch fire. “Ammonium nitrate is derived from the reaction between ammonia and nitric acid. Lebanese officials say ammonium nitrate, a substance used as fertilizer in agriculture, likely caused the massive explosion in Beirut. An aerial view shows the massive damage at Beirut port's grain silos and the surrounding area on August 5, 2020, one day after a massive explosion hit the heart of the Lebanese capital. © 1996-2015 National Geographic Society, © 2015- Ammonium nitrate stored in a warehouse linked to catastrophic Beirut explosion By Helen Regan , Tamara Qiblawi, Ghazi Balkiz, Ben Wedeman and Luke McGee, CNN Updated 0857 GMT (1657 HKT) August 6, 2020 The resulting explosion destroyed the entire front facade of the 117 foot structure, killing 168 people. “There’s a massive amount of energy given off very quickly,” says Stephen Beaudoin, a chemical engineer also at Purdue University. If the name sounds familiar it's because the chemical is notorious. Solution for Ammonium nitrate is an explosive and a fertilizer. Heating also poses a danger: ammonium nitrate decomposes at around 230˚C, and can explode when heated to between 260–300˚C if it’s confined. When combined with fuel oils, ammonium nitrate creates a potent explosive widely used by the construction industry, but also by insurgent groups like the Taliban for improvised explosives. “It’s relatively difficult to make pure ammonium nitrate go off unless you add things to it and cook it in a giant fire,” says Davin Piercey, a chemist at Purdue University. The blast, which rattled entire buildings and broke glass, was felt across the city. That partly depends on the enforcement of safety regulations, which can vary by country. The S.S. Grandcamp—carrying ammonium nitrate, fuel, and ammunition—arrived at the Houston-area port with smoke spewing from its cargo hold. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a red, bad-smelling gas. It has some military applications as well. “All kinds of other materials probably ignited and burned,” says Beaudoin. The Biggest Ammonium Nitrate Explosions since 2000. Documents unearthed by Al Jazeera say the ammonium nitrate arrived in Beirut aboard a Russian-owned cargo ship after the vessel experienced mechanical problems at sea. But when placed under stress of heat and pressure, it acts like a bomb. Maritime traffic services and documents obtained by CNN describe a shipment of 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate that was detained in Beirut in … 559 Menschen wurden durch die Explosionen getötet und … Oxidizers do the opposite: They increase the amount of oxygen molecules that concentrate in a space, which helps make other substances more flammable. 2,750 tons of the chemical that had been stored in a Beirut warehouse blew up, killing dozens of people and injuring many more Injuries surpassed more than 5,000; the blast destroyed 500 homes and the smoke from it billowed for days. It was one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in recent history, according to Brian Castner, lead weapons investigator for Amnesty International’s Crisis Response Team. Damaged areas outside of the port of Beirut on Wednesday. Though Lebanese authorities have said ammonium nitrate was the culprit in the blast, Lewis notes that in many cases commercial explosives are referred to as just this compound even though they contain additives. “As I … powerful explosion that devastated the city. Lebanon explosion: What is ammonium nitrate, which authorities claim to be behind the blast AFP Washington, August 05, 2020 08:54 IST Updated: August 05, … When something burns, it requires oxygen—that’s why fire extinguishers can easily put out flames by smothering them. If mixed with ingredients like fuel or some other contaminants, or because of some other external factors, it can be very explosive. Orica's ammonium nitrate plant stores up to four times the amount that was in the Beirut explosion, but the company says it's safe and highly regulated. Smoke rising after the explosion in Beirut. It was carrying 2,750 metric tons of ammonium nitrate, an industrial chemical commonly used around the world as a fertilizer -- and in explosives for mining. And just five years ago, an estimated 800 tons of ammonium nitrate fueled a warehouse explosion that leveled part of a port in the Chinese city of Tianjin, killing 173. While ammonium nitrate can in fact put out a fire, if the chemical itself is contaminated, for example with oil, it becomes highly explosive. Ammonium nitrate, which is used in fertilizers and bomb making, is a salt made from ammonium and nitric acid, and it is highly explosive. It has been the cause of previous industrial accidents, and an ingredient in acts of terrorism as well. Ammonium nitrate, by itself, is relatively harmless. Beirut officials have identified ammonium nitrate as the base component of Tuesday's explosion. Or, this discrepancy might mean that the material inside the warehouse was not pure ammonium nitrate, and some other compound was involved with the blast. It was used by white supremacists to blow up the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Okla. in 1995. According to the Lebanese government, about 2,750 tons of ammonium nitrate fertilizer was stored in a warehouse on the Beirut waterfront and caught fire, later exploding. Images from Beirut reveal a … Ammonium nitrate appears to be the cause of the huge explosion that has left large parts of Beirut ruined and at least 100 people dead. “It’s the biggest explosion in an urban area in decades,” he said. Using math pioneered in the 1940s to infer the atomic bomb’s yield, experts can analyze videos of a shockwave to get rough estimates of an explosion’s total energy and how much material blew up. Large quantities of stored ammonium nitrate are regarded as a major fire hazard, with multiple reported cases across the world. In 2013, ammonium nitrate caused a deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in West, Texas. Following the destruction caused by ammonium nitrate exploding at Beirut's port, there are concerns globally about its storage. In the Beirut explosion, the resulting shockwave moved faster than the speed of sound; cell phone videos show the impact washing over the city a few seconds before a sonic boom rumbles. In 2013, a fertilizer plant in West, Texas, caught fire and exploded, killing 15 people. Once a reaction is sparked (by some other means) the ammonium nitrate quickly decomposes into… The gas released from the decomposing fertiliser is what drives the explosion. But for the compound to figure in an explosion of this magnitude, chemists and explosives experts say a lot has to go wrong. “Ammonium nitrate does not degrade with time under normal storage conditions,” he says. The ammonium and nitrate molecules break down, and a large amount of oxygen gas is suddenly formed. It is used in fertilisers and explosives, as well as a … In these cases (e.g., an explosion in 1977), the explosions of ammonium nitrate occurred as a result of excessively high temperatures and confinement during processing. In the United States, the Espionage Act of 1917 gave the Coast Guard strict regulatory oversight of all port facilities — specifically to prevent large explosions such as the one in Beirut. Seventy-five years later, National Geographic revisits the elusive horror of Hiroshima. Auch die Druckwelle aus Beirut sei laut Medienberichten noch im 200 km entfernten Zypern zu spüren gewesen. It also destroyed Texas City in 1947 and the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City in 1995. The scale of the damage — from the epicenter of the explosion at the port of Beirut to the windows blown out kilometers (miles) away — resembles other blasts involving the chemical compound commonly used … What Is Ammonium Nitrate, Blamed in the Beirut Explosion? The fertilizer arrived in the city more than six years ago aboard a Russian-owned cargo ship that made an unscheduled stop in the city. But the compound can contribute to explosions because it belongs to a chemical class known as oxidizers. Nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) is a red, bad-smelling gas. Since 1916, the chemical has been responsible for at least 30 disasters, some accidental and some intentional. Burning ammonium nitrate in an open field, for instance, isn't likely to result in an explosion, Rae said. The ammonium nitrate never made it to Mozambique, the source said, and instead was kept in a container at Beirut's port for over six years before exploding earlier this week. An ammonium nitrate explosion produces massive amounts of nitrogen oxides. It’s known to predispose people to the worst effects of respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. Former justice minister and ex-Internal Security Forces head Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi said Thursday that he has testified before Judge Fadi Sawwan that Iran had sent the ammonium nitrate shipment that eventually caused the August 4 catastrophic explosion at Beirut’s port. This week, a massive explosion involving ammonium nitrate rocked the city of Beirut, sending shock waves through the media.. If subjected to fire in such bulk quantities, and in a semi-contained environment like a warehouse, the potential for detonation is strong. Stored ammonium nitrate is a major fire hazard . Lebanese officials say ammonium nitrate, a substance used as fertilizer in agriculture, likely caused the massive explosion in Beirut. The huge explosion that rocked the Lebanese capital on Tuesday is thought to have been caused by ammonium nitrate. The more ammonium nitrate… Though ammonium nitrate was first synthesized in 1659 by German chemist Johann Rudolf Glauber, it wasn’t used in explosives until World War I, when weapon makers mixed it with TNT (aka dynamite) to make cheaper bombs. … Two tons of the fertilizer were mixed with diesel fuel to create a bomb placed inside a rental truck that detonated in front of the building. It is classified as an oxidiser (Grade 5.1) under the United Nations classification of dangerous goods. Class known as oxidizers its cargo hold quickly, ” says Stephen Beaudoin, a substance. Decomposition of ammonium nitrate in Beirut sugar—can pair with ammonium nitrate is not explosive. Was packed with nearly 2,300kg of ammonium nitrate is derived from the decomposing fertiliser is what the. 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