초록 ▼

The present invention provides a modular installation (1) for carrying out a method of manufacturing an explosive emulsion precursor comprising at least three containers: —a first container (100) for preparing an aqueous phase, including a dissolution first tank (110); and —at least one second and/o

The present invention provides a modular installation (1) for carrying out a method of manufacturing an explosive emulsion precursor comprising at least three containers: —a first container (100) for preparing an aqueous phase, including a dissolution first tank (110); and —at least one second and/or third container (200, 300) including a second tank for preparing oily phase (210) and a third tank for preparing emulsion (310); and —at least one fourth and/or fifth container (400, 500) including means (410) for feeding heat and means (510) for feeding electrical energy; and —said first, second and/or third containers (100, 200, 300) being juxtaposed over at least a portion of one of their walls (100a, 300b, 200b) and being provided with openings (170, 370a, 275, 375, 270b) in their walls.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A modular installation for carrying out a method of manufacturing an explosive emulsion precursor constituted by a water-in-oil reverse emulsion, the method comprising: a) a step of preparing an aqueous phase by dissolving nitrates in water and heating;b) a step of preparing an oily phase by mixi

1. A modular installation for carrying out a method of manufacturing an explosive emulsion precursor constituted by a water-in-oil reverse emulsion, the method comprising: a) a step of preparing an aqueous phase by dissolving nitrates in water and heating;b) a step of preparing an oily phase by mixing components comprising at least one vegetable and/or mineral fat and a surfactant, and heating; andc) a step of preparing said emulsion by mixing said aqueous phase into said oily phase,the modular installation comprising at least:a first container for preparing the aqueous phase, said first container including a first dissolution tank provided with first heater means and first stirrer means capable of heating and stirring the aqueous phase contained in the first container,wherein the first container includes a first rectangular tank with at least five walls arranged against and parallel to the respective at least five walls of said first container, said first heater means for said first tank comprising a first tube heat exchanger, said first tube heat exchanger being constituted by a network of continuous heat transfer fluid cylindrical transfer lines arranged longitudinally and transversely at different heights, which are capable of heating the liquid contained in said first rectangular tank by distributing the heat from the heat transfer fluid circulating in said network of lines throughout the volume of said first tank,wherein said cylindrical longitudinal lines are arranged substantially at the same height, and connected together at their ends on the same side by line elements forming horizontal transverse connectors, one end of at least one longitudinal line arranged at a given height being connected to the end of a longitudinal line arranged at a lower or higher height via at least one vertical bend line element. 2. The modular installation according to claim 1, wherein said first heat exchanger of the first tank of rectangular shape comprises a network of cylindrical longitudinal lines with a larger number of lines in the lower portion of the first tank. 3. The modular installation according to claim 1, wherein said first container containing first circulation means for circulating, by pumping, at least said aqueous phase and water for feeding said first container from a first external tank, located between a sixth transverse side wall of said first tank and a front transverse side wall of said first container. 4. The modular installation according to claim 1, wherein the lines of the upper levels are arranged at small downwardly inclined angles, at an angle of less than 10° relative to the horizontal at the height of an upper transverse connector to a lower evacuation orifice at the height of a first bottom transverse connector. 5. The modular installation according to claim 3, wherein the first heat exchanger in the first tank comprises: a bottom stage of said longitudinal lines covering the floor of said first rectangular tank, said lines of the bottom stage being regularly spaced in the transverse direction of the first tank and extending substantially horizontally in the longitudinal direction from at least one second bottom transverse connector to said first bottom transverse connector; andat least one higher stage of said longitudinal lines, in a smaller number than the lines of the bottom stage, the lines of the higher stage being positioned either side of a central space with a dimension in the transverse direction of the tank that is larger than the space between two said adjacent lines positioned on the same side of said central space, said central space containing a portion of said first means for stirring the aqueous phase; andthe adjacent longitudinal lines of a given stage being inclined, and their ends on a given longitudinal side are connected together via horizontal transverse connectors. 6. The modular installation according to claim 5, wherein a portion of said first stirrer means for stirring the aqueous phase is positioned at a height between said higher stage and said bottom stage, and another portion of said first stirrer means is positioned above said higher stage. 7. The modular installation according to claim 6, wherein said first tank is closed off and is accessible via closable openings in its ceiling and in the roof of the first container. 8. The modular installation according to claim 7, wherein the roof of the first container and the ceiling of said first tank are provided with first openings facing each other and surrounded by first vertical extension walls, which are preferably removable, extending from the ceiling of the first tank to above the roof of the first container and said first extension walls supporting or being capable of supporting elements for routing nitrate into the first tank through said first openings, the nitrate being distributed inside the first tank in the direction of the first stirrer means with the aid of at least one deflector arranged below the first opening in the ceiling of the first tank, said first openings in the ceiling of the first tank and in the roof of the first container being closable, being capable of being closed off during transport of said first container and said first tank. 9. The modular installation according to claim 7, wherein the roof of the first container and the ceiling of the first tank include second openings facing each other and surrounded by second vertical extension walls that are preferably removable, said second extension walls extending from the ceiling of the first tank to above the roof of the first container, said second extension walls supporting first stirrer means comprising at least one vertical rod extending inside the first tank on which rotary stirring blades are mounted that can be driven in rotation about a vertical axis with the aid of a motor, said motor being fixed in a non-permanent manner on the roof of the first container, said second openings being capable of being closed and thus capable of being closed off during transport. 10. The modular installation according to claim 1, wherein the first tank includes a heat exchanger constituted by a set of three stages of parallel longitudinal lines of circular section, that are connected together so as to be continuous via horizontal line elements or transverse connectors for the lines arranged in the same given stage, the ends of certain longitudinal lines at different stages of the heat exchanger are connected to those of an immediately upper or bottom stage via vertical angled line elements extending in a vertical plane, as vertical connectors, the longitudinal lines at the first and second stages being arranged to provide a central empty space allowing rotary rods and blades of stirrers to be passed through, the third stage or bottom stage covering the entire surface of the floor of the first tank substantially uniformly, the longitudinal lines therein being spaced apart from one another in the transverse direction by the same distance, the smaller blades of the stirrers being located at a height between the second and third stages of the heat exchanger close to the lines of the third stage, the larger blades of the stirrers being located above the lines of the first stage of the heat exchanger. 11. The modular installation according to claim 1, comprising: a second container containing a second tank containing second heater means and second stirrer means for preparing the oily phase, anda third container containing a third tank containing third stirrer means for preparing the emulsion. 12. The modular installation according to claim 11, comprising: at least one of said second and/or third containers containing second circulation means for circulating, by pumping, said oily phase from the second tank to the third tank and for circulating the components of the oily phase from external tanks for storing said components to said second tank, and third circulation means for circulating, by pumping, to evacuate said emulsion from said third tank to an emulsion storage tank; anda fourth container containing heat transfer fluid feed means and a fifth container containing electrical energy supply means for supplying electrical energy to at least said circulation means for circulating fluid by pumping, and to said stirrer means;said first, second, and/or third containers being juxtaposed at least over a portion of one of their side walls, such that at least a portion of a side wall of said first container is juxtaposed with at least a portion of a side wall of said third container, and at least a portion of a side wall of the second container being juxtaposed with at least a portion of another side wall of the third container, such that said third container is interposed between said first container and said second container; andsaid first, second, and/or third containers include openings in their walls; wherein lines for transferring fluid between said containers and/or electrical cables pass through said openings, or are connected to said openings;said openings being capable of being closed off, in particular, during transport of the containers. 13. The modular installation according to claim 11, wherein: said first, second, and third containers, which are of rectangular shape and have standard dimensions, juxtaposed as follows:at least a front portion of a longitudinal side wall of the first container, close to a front transverse side wall equipped with door(s) of the first container, is juxtaposed with at least a portion of a front transverse side wall of said third container, said front portion of the longitudinal side wall of the first container being provided with a small first opening leading to the portion of the first container including first circulation means for circulating, by pumping, said first small opening being juxtaposed and facing a second small opening in said side wall of the third container, said first and second small openings allowing the passage and/or connection of lines for transferring aqueous phase from said first tank to said third tank; anda first longitudinal side wall of the second container provided with a first large opening being juxtaposed with a first longitudinal side wall of the third container provided with a second large opening facing said first large opening, said first and second large openings allowing the passage of personnel and the passage of said fluid transfer lines between said second and third containers, a front transverse side wall of the second container including a door aligned with said front transverse wall of the third container; anda second longitudinal side wall of the second container being provided with at least one third small opening allowing the passage and/or connection of transfer lines for components of the oily phase from external storage tanks for storing the components of the oily phase to said second tank, and allowing passage and/or connection of the heat transfer fluid transfer line from said heat transfer fluid feed means to said second heater means of said second tank; anda second longitudinal side wall of the third container being provided with at least one opening allowing the passage and/or connection of lines for evacuating said emulsion from said third tank to a tank for storing the emulsion. 14. The modular installation according to claim 11, wherein: said first container includes a portion of line for transferring fluid from said first tank to said third tank, as well as a portion of line for transferring heat transfer fluid between said heat transfer fluid feed means and said first heater means inside said first tank, and a portion of line for feeding water to said first tank; andsaid second container contains a portion of line for transferring oily phase between said second tank and said third tank, as well as a portion of line for transferring heat transfer fluid between said heat transfer fluid feed means and said second heater means inside said second tank, and portions of lines for feeding oil and surfactants, respectively, to said second tank; andsaid third container contains a portion of line for transferring aqueous phase from said first tank to said third tank and a portion of line for transferring oily phase from said second tank to said third tank, and a portion of line for evacuating said emulsion from said third tank to an external storage tank and/or a buffer tank for storing said emulsion. 15. A method of preparing an explosive precursor constituted by said emulsion using a modular installation according to claim 11, said method comprising: a) a step of preparing said aqueous phase by dissolving nitrates in water and heating in said first tank;b) a step of preparing said oily phase and heating in said second tank; andc) a step of preparing the emulsion by mixing the aqueous phase into the oily phase inside said third tank, without heating. 16. The method of preparing an explosive precursor according to claim 15, comprising the following steps: continuously filling the third tank with said aqueous phase and oily phase; andstabilizing the emulsion, and increasing the viscosity of the emulsion evacuated from said third tank in a controlled manner with the aid of a shear device. 17. The method of preparing an explosive precursor according to claim 16, wherein the step of mixing the aqueous phase into the oily phase comprises two sub-steps: a first sub-step in which an initial quantity of emulsion is prepared by mixing the aqueous phase and the oily phase initially introduced consecutively into the third emulsion preparation tank; anda second sub-step in which the emulsion is prepared by mixing the aqueous phase and the oily phase introduced continuously into said third tank, and wherein the ratio between the pumping flow rates of said aqueous phase and said oily phase, controlled by flow meters, corresponds to the desired proportions for the aqueous phase and the oily phase, in proportions by weight of 85-95% of aqueous phase for 5-15% of oily phase;the two said sub-steps following each other, such that said third tank is never empty, the flow rate for evacuation of the emulsion from said third tank by tapping being constant. 18. The method of preparing an explosive precursor according to claim 17, wherein: in step c), said third tank is continuously fed with aqueous phase from the first tank and with oily phase from the second tank until the first tank is empty; andin step b), said oily phase is prepared in a single second tank equipped with scales, the oily phase being maintained in excess in the second tank, and said scales being used firstly to weigh the residue of the oily phase inside the second tank when the first tank is empty, and secondly to measure the final volume of the second tank after filling the second tank. 19. A modular installation for carrying out a method of manufacturing an explosive emulsion precursor constituted by a water-in-oil reverse emulsion, the method comprising: a) a step of preparing an aqueous phase by dissolving nitrates in water and heating;b) a step of preparing an oily phase by mixing components comprising at least one vegetable and/or mineral fat and a surfactant, and heating; andc) a step of preparing said emulsion by mixing said aqueous phase into said oily phase,wherein the modular installation comprises containers arranged as follows:a first container for preparing the aqueous phase, said first container including a dissolution first tank provided with first heater means and first stirrer means for heating and stirring the aqueous phase contained in the first container, and said first container containing first circulation means for circulating, by pumping, at least said aqueous phase and water for feeding said first container from a first external tank; anda second container containing a second tank containing second heater means and second stirrer means for preparing the oily phase, and a third container containing a third tank containing third stirrer means for preparing the emulsion; andat least one of said second and/or third containers containing second circulation means for circulating, by pumping, said oily phase from the second tank to the third tank and for circulating the components of the oily phase from external tanks for storing said components to said second tank, and third circulation means for circulating, by pumping, to evacuate said emulsion from said third tank to an emulsion storage tank; andat least one fourth and/or fifth container including heat transfer fluid feed means for feeding heat transfer fluid to said heater means and electrical energy supply means for supplying electrical energy to at least said circulation means for circulating fluid by pumping and to said stirrer means;said first, second, and/or third containers being juxtaposed at least over a portion of one of their side walls, such that at least a portion of a side wall of said first container is juxtaposed with at least a portion of a side wall of said third container, and at least a portion of a side wall of the second container is juxtaposed with at least a portion of another side wall of the third container, such that said third container is interposed between said first container and said second container; andsaid first, second, and/or third containers include, in their walls, openings via which there pass and/or are connected lines for transferring fluid between said containers and/or electrical cables;said openings being capable of being closed off, in particular of being closed off during transport of the containers. 20. The modular installation according to claim 19, wherein it comprises: said first, second, and third containers, which are of rectangular shape and have standard dimensions, juxtaposed as follows:at least a front portion of a longitudinal side wall of the first container close to a front transverse side wall equipped with door(s) of the first container is juxtaposed with at least a portion of a front transverse side wall of said third container, said front portion of the longitudinal side wall of the first container being provided with a small first opening leading to the portion of the first container including first circulation means for circulating by pumping, said first small opening being juxtaposed and facing a second small opening in said side wall of the third container, said first and second small openings allowing the passage and/or connection of lines for transferring aqueous phase from said first tank to said third tank; anda first longitudinal side wall of the second container provided with a first large opening being juxtaposed with a first longitudinal side wall of the third container provided with a second large opening facing said first large opening, said first and second large openings allowing the passage of personnel and the passage of said fluid transfer lines between said second and third containers, a front transverse side wall of the second container including a door aligned with said front transverse wall of the third container; anda second longitudinal side wall of the second container being provided with at least one third small opening allowing the passage and/or connection of transfer lines for components of the oily phase from external storage tanks for storing the components of the oily phase to said second tank, and allowing passage and/or connection of the heat transfer fluid transfer line from said heat transfer fluid feed means to said second heater means of said second tank; anda second longitudinal side wall of the third container being provided with at least one opening allowing the passage and/or connection of lines for evacuating said emulsion from said third tank to a tank for storing the emulsion. 21. The modular installation according to claim 19, wherein: said first container includes a portion of line for transferring fluid from said first tank to said third tank, as well as a portion of line for transferring heat transfer fluid between said heat transfer fluid feed means and said first heater means inside said first tank, and a portion of line for feeding water to said first tank; andsaid second container contains a portion of line for transferring oily phase between said second tank and said third tank, as well as a portion of line for transferring heat transfer fluid between said heat transfer fluid feed means and said second heater means inside said second tank, and portions of lines for feeding oil and surfactants respectively to said second tank; andsaid third container contains a portion of line for transferring aqueous phase from said first tank to said third tank and a portion of line for transferring oily phase from said second tank to said third tank, and a portion of line for evacuating said emulsion from said third tank to an external storage tank and/or a buffer tank for storing said emulsion. 22. The modular installation according to claim 19, wherein the first container includes a first rectangular tank with at least five walls arranged against and parallel to the respective at least five walls of said first container, said first heater means for said first tank comprising a first tube heat exchanger, said first tube heat exchanger being constituted by a network of continuous heat transfer fluid transfer lines arranged longitudinally and transversely at different heights, which are capable of heating the liquid contained in said first rectangular tank by distributing the heat from the heat transfer fluid circulating in said network of lines throughout the volume of said first tank, with a larger number of lines in the lower portion of the first tank, and said first container further containing said first circulation means for circulating fluid by pumping located between a sixth transverse side wall of said first tank and a front transverse side wall of said first container. 23. The modular installation according to claim 22, wherein said first heat exchanger of the first rectangular tank comprises a network of cylindrical longitudinal lines arranged continuously at different heights, the longitudinal lines arranged substantially at the same height being connected together at their ends on the same side by line elements forming horizontal transverse connectors, and one end of at least one longitudinal line arranged at a given height being connected to the end of a longitudinal line arranged at a lower or higher height via at least one vertical bend line element, the lines of the upper levels being arranged at small downwardly inclined angles, at an angle of less than 10° relative to the horizontal in the direction for circulating the heat transfer fluid from a top feed orifice at the height of an upper transverse connector to a lower evacuation orifice at the height of a first bottom transverse connector. 24. The modular installation according to claim 23, wherein the first heat exchanger in the first tank comprises: a bottom stage of said longitudinal lines covering the floor of said first rectangular tank, said lines of the bottom stage being regularly spaced in the transverse direction of the first tank and extending substantially horizontally in the longitudinal direction from at least one second bottom transverse connector to said first bottom transverse connector; andat least one higher stage of said longitudinal lines, in a smaller number than the lines of the bottom stage, the lines of the higher stage being positioned either side of a central space with a dimension in the transverse direction of the tank that is larger than the space between two said adjacent lines positioned on the same side of said central space, said central space containing a portion of said first means for stirring the aqueous phase. 25. The modular installation according to claim 24, wherein portion of said first stirrer means for stirring the aqueous phase is positioned at a height between said higher stage and said bottom stage, and another portion of said first stirrer means is positioned above said higher stage. 26. The modular installation according to claim 22, wherein the roof of the first container and the ceiling of said first tank are provided with first openings facing each other and surrounded by first vertical extension walls, which are preferably removable, extending from the ceiling of the first tank to above the roof of the first container and said first extension walls supporting or being capable of supporting elements for routing nitrate into the first tank through said first openings, the nitrate preferably being routed into the first tank with the aid of an unloading screw, the nitrate being distributed inside the first tank in the direction of the first stirrer means with the aid of at least one deflector arranged below the first opening in the ceiling of the first tank, said first openings in the ceiling of the first tank and in the roof of the first container being closable, being capable of being closed off during transport of said first container and said first tank. 27. The modular installation according to claim 22, wherein the roof of the first container and the ceiling of the first tank include second openings facing each other and surrounded by second vertical extension walls that are preferably removable, said second extension walls extending from the ceiling of the first tank to above the roof of the first container, said second extension walls supporting first stirrer means comprising at least one vertical rod extending inside the first tank on which rotary stirring blades are mounted that can be driven in rotation about a vertical axis with the aid of a motor, said motor being fixed in a non-permanent manner on the roof of the first container, said second openings being capable of being closed and thus being capable of being closed off during transport. 28. The modular installation according to claim 19, wherein the second container for preparing the oily phase includes a single second tank supported by scales and including, inside the second tank, second heater means comprising a second heat exchanger with a helical shape. 29. The modular installation according to claim 19, wherein the third container for preparing the emulsion includes a said third tank for mixing, a shear device for increasing the viscosity of the emulsion evacuated from said third tank in a controlled manner in the direction of a buffer fourth tank intended to temporarily hold the emulsion prepared in said third tank for analysis before evacuation to an external tank for storing the emulsion outside the third container, and the second container and/or the third container include furniture and equipment for laboratory analysis, a control panel for the various said circulation means for circulating by pumping, heater means, and stirrer means. 30. The method of preparing an explosive precursor constituted by a said emulsion by using a modular installation according to claim 15, the method comprising: a) a step of preparing a said aqueous phase by dissolving nitrates in water and heating in said first tank;b) a step of preparing a said oily phase and heating in said second tank; andc) a step of preparing the emulsion by mixing the aqueous phase into the oily phase inside said third tank, without heating. 31. The method of preparing an explosive precursor according to claim 30, wherein the following steps are carried out, comprising: a step of continuously filling the third tank with said aqueous phase and said oily phase; anda step of stabilizing the emulsion and increasing the viscosity of the emulsion evacuated from said third tank in a controlled manner with the aid of a shear device. 32. The method of preparing an explosive precursor according to claim 30, wherein the step of mixing the aqueous phase into the oily phase comprises two sub-steps: a first sub-step in which an initial quantity of emulsion is prepared by mixing the aqueous phase and the oily phase initially introduced consecutively into the third emulsion preparation tank; anda second sub-step in which the emulsion is prepared by mixing the aqueous phase and the oily phase introduced continuously into said third tank and wherein the ratio between the pumping flow rates of said aqueous phase and said oily phase, controlled by flow meters, corresponds to the desired proportions for the aqueous phase and the oily phase, in proportions by weight of 85-95% of aqueous phase for 5-15% of oily phase;the two said sub-steps following each other, such that said third tank is never empty, the flow rate for evacuation of the emulsion from said third tank by tapping being constant. 33. The method of preparing an explosive precursor according to claim 32, wherein: in step c), said third tank is continuously fed with aqueous phase from the first tank and with oily phase from the second tank until the first tank is empty; andin step b), said oily phase is prepared in a single second tank equipped with scales, the oily phase being maintained in excess in the second tank, and said scales being used firstly to weigh the residue of the oily phase inside the second tank when the first tank is empty, and secondly to measure the final volume of the second tank after filling the second tank.