DarkMatter says...

First, tell me how one "burns TNT". It is a high explosive. I
think its "burn rate" would be pretty fast, and not manageable.

You are thinking of low explosives (gunpowder is a good example).
Low explosives burn rapidly - fast enough to explode if confined.
High explosives are detonated as a shock wave propagates through
them, as opposed to low explosives which are detonated as a flame
front propagates through them, There is no reason why one couldn't
burn a high explosive and get a low burning rate.


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