BAM Test Site Technical Safety

Fume chamber

  

The fume chamber is used to detect and measure toxic fume components such as carbon monoxide and nitrous gases which are formed during an explosion. The test is based on the standard DIN EN 13631 Part 16.

In particular, hazards from toxic gases to the health of those employed when using explosives in mining and tunnel construction may emerge due to limited aeration. Therefore this test is compulsory for all explosives in underground use.

The test takes place in a gas-proof blast chamber which is designed for the ignition of explosives of up to 1 kg TNT equivalent.

Test procedure

After the ignition of the explosive charge the gaseous phase is led to the analysers over a measurement gas probe and a heated measuring gas pipe. The gas concentrations of CO, CO₂, NO and NO₂ are measured continuously and simultaneously over a period of 20 minutes.

When the chamber is sealed, the CO and CO₂ concentrations remain constant over the entire measurement period. In the case of the nitrogen oxides, oxidative follow-up reactions take place which lead to a continuous change in concentration. Therefore nitrogen oxide concentrations are extrapolated to the time after detonation. From the gas concentrations so determined, the chamber volume and the amount of explosive fired, the amount of each toxic gas is calculated in litres per kilogram of explosive.

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