R. Meyer J. Köhler A. Homburg Explosives

225 Nitroglycerine
cerine produced is ideally processed immediately to the products (e.g.,
explosives; double base powders).
Nitroglycerine is prepared by running highly concentrated, almost
anhydrous, and nearly chemically pure glycerin (dynamite glycerin)
into a highly concentrated mixture of nitric and sulfuric acids, with
constantly efficient cooling and stirring. At the end of the reaction the
nitroglycerine acid mixture is given to a separator, where the nitroglycerine
separates by gravity. Following washing processes with
water and an alkaline soda solution remove the diluted residual acid.
Since nitroglycerine is dangerous to handle, its industrial production by
continuous method has always been of the highest interest, since it is
always desirable to have the smallest possible quantity of the product
in any particular manufacturing stage. Accordingly, several competing
methods (Schmidt, Meissner, Biazzi, KONTINITRO), have been developed,
each method being characterized by a different approach to the
problem of safety. The most recent procedures involve the reaction of
glycerin and acid in injectors (Nitroglycerine AB).
Nitroglycerine is one of the most important and most frequently used
components of explosive materials; together with nitroglycol, it is the
major component of gelatinous industrial explosives. In combination
with nitrocellulose and stabilizers, it is the principal component of
powders, gun propellants and smokeless solid rocket propellants
(W double base propellants).
Care has to be taken for complete removal of acid residues from
nitroglycerine, because they may enhance the exothermic autocatalytic
decomposition process, from which severe explosions have occurred
in the path.
Specifications
1. Nitroglycerine as a component of explosives
Nitrogen content: not less than 18.35 %
Abel test at (82.2 °C) 180 °F:
not less than 10 min
2. Nitroglycerine as a component of propellants
nitrogen content: not less than 18.40 %
moisture: not more than 0.5 %
alkalinity, as Na2CO3: not more than 0.002 %
acidity, as HNO3: not more than 0.002 %
3. Glycerol as a raw material
smell: not offensively
pungent
color: clear, as pale as
possible
reaction to litmus: neutral
inorganic impurities: none