Table of Contents
How does ammonium nitrate become explosive?
Ammonium nitrate is frequently added to increase a fertilizer’s nitrogen content. Once a reaction is sparked, ammonium nitrate explodes violently. The explosive force occurs when solid ammonium nitrate decomposes very rapidly into two gases, nitrous oxide and water vapor.
What’s the reason of Beirut explosion?
2020 Beirut explosion
| Aftermath of the explosion, with the destroyed grain silos to the left and the flooded blast crater to the right | |
|---|---|
| Wikimedia | © OpenStreetMap | |
| Type | Ammonium nitrate explosion |
| Cause | Under investigation |
| Deaths | 218 |
What caused the explosion in Beirut?
The initial explosion, at about 18:07 local time (15:07 UTC), likely triggered by the stored fireworks, sent up a large cloud of smoke and a crackle of bright firework flashes, and heavily damaged the structure of Warehouse 12 itself with a force equivalent to around 1.5-2.5 tons of TNT.
How does an explosion occur?
An explosion occurs when a large amount of energy is released into a small volume of area in a very short time. Burning very rapidly, explosive material releases concentrated gas that expands quickly to fill the surrounding air space and apply pressure to everything in it.
How does ammonium nitrate affect the environment?
When ammonium nitrate explodes, it can release toxic gases including nitrogen oxides and ammonia gas. The orange plume is caused by the nitrogen dioxide, which is often associated with air pollution.
When was the ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut?
So how did this happen? Here’s what we know so far. The cargo of ammonium nitrate arrived in Lebanon in September 2013, on board a Russian-owned cargo vessel flying a Moldovan Flag.
Where was ammonium nitrate stored in Beirut?
Warehouse 12
The ammonium nitrate was offloaded into Warehouse 12, which was designated for the storage of dangerous materials. It lies only a few hundred yards from the densely packed residential neighborhoods of Gemmayze, Mar Mikhail and Karantina.
How do the particles in the can cause the explosion?
If a gas is heated, its particles move around more quickly. They hit the walls of their container harder and more often. This increases the pressure. Sometimes the pressure gets so great that the container bursts.
Why does fertilizer explode?
Investigators have confirmed that ammonium nitrate was the trigger for the explosion, but the cause of the initial fire is as yet unknown. As a result of the massive explosion, the West Fertilizer Company plant was obliterated, and heavy damage and further destruction was caused to surrounding areas.
Why does ammonium nitrate explode?
Ammonium nitrate normally needs a severe shock from a detonator to get it to explode. However stored ammonium nitrate has been to known to explode without warning. If the explosive is contained in a fixed space the rapid production of gas creates a massive pressure which increases the effect of the explosion.