Method of and apparatus for generating hydrogen and projectile accelerating apparatus and method incorporating same

In an exothermic hydrogen generator responsive to a plasma jet having a controlled temperature, a compartmented structure, first compartments in the structure including elemental metal or a metal hydride, second compartments in the structure including a liquid containing hydrogen and oxygen, third compartments in the structure being free of solids and liquids so that the plasma can flow through them more easily than through the first and second compartments, the structure being formed so that in response to the plasma it melts and the liquid in the second compartments mixes with and reacts exothermically with the metal or metal hydride to produce gaseous hydrogen and a metal oxide, the amounts of the liquid and elemental metal or metal hydride in the structure being such that the mole fractions of the exothermic reaction are satisfied, the elemental metal or metal hydride and the temperature of the plasma being such that the metal oxide of the exothermic reaction is not a vapor.

A method of generating gaseous hydrogen comprising the steps of applying electric energy to a liquid including hydrogen and oxygen molecules and elemental metal or a metal hydride, the electric energy heating the liquid and metal or metal hydride to a temperature to produce an exothermic reaction between the liquid and elemental metal or metal hydride, the energy level of the applied electric energy being such that the exothermic reaction results in the generation of gaseous hydrogen and a non-vaporous oxide compound of the metal, and separating the gaseous hydrogen from the non-vaporous oxide compound.

A method of accelerating a projectile through a barrel comprising the steps of generating a high pressure hydrogen gas jet by exothermically reacting a liquid including hydrogen and oxygen molecules with elemental metal or a metal hydride, controlling the temperature of the reaction so a non-vaporous oxide of the metal is a product of the reaction by controlling the energy level of electric energy which is applied to the liquid and metal or metal hydride to cause the reaction, separating the hydrogen from the non-vaporous metal oxide, and applying the separated hydrogen to the barrel to accelerate the projectile through the barrel.

Apparatus for generating gaseous hydrogen comprising a reaction chamber having a liquid including hydrogen and oxygen molecules and an elemental metal or a metal hydride therein, means for supplying electric energy having controlled power to the chamber, the power of the electric energy supplied to the chamber being sufficient to heat the liquid and the metal or metal hydride to a temperature to cause an exothermic reaction between the liquid and the elemental metal or the metal hydride;

• the power, the energy and the metal or metal hydride being such that gaseous hydrogen and a non-vaporous oxide of the metal are products of the reaction, and means for separating the gaseous hydrogen from the non-vaporous metal oxide.

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile comprising a barrel through which the projectile is accelerated, a source of plasma gas jet, a chemical compound including hydrogen and oxygen, a mass of elemental metal or a metal hydride, the jet, the compound, and the mass being positioned to interact with each other for generating high pressure gas in a chamber in flow relation with the source and barrel so the chamber is behind the projectile, the temperature of the jet, the compound and the mass being such that the high pressure gas is formed by an exothermic chemical reaction of the compound and mass in response to the plasma jet and the compound and the mass interacting with each other, the plasma gas source including:

• means including an elongated passage with a dielectric wall having ionizable material thereon, the passage having opening means through which the plasma jet passes, means for establishing an electric discharge having a controlled current between spaced regions along the length of the passage to ionize the material and form a plasma in the passage, the plasma in the passage forming a plasma jet that flows out of the opening means to be incident on the compound, and means for applying the high pressure gas to the barrel so the gas accelerates the projectile through the barrel.

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile comprising a source of plasma gas jet, a chemical compound including hydrogen and oxygen, a mass of elemental metal or a metal hydride, the jet, compound and mass being positioned to interact with each other for generating high pressure gas in a confined chamber behind the projectile, the temperature of the jet, the compound and the mass being such that the high pressure gas is formed by an exothermic chemical reaction of the compound and the mass in response to the plasma jet and the compound and the mass interacting with each other, the gas formed in the confined chamber acting on the rear of the projectile with sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile to a relatively high velocity, the plasma gas source comprising means including an elongated passage with a dielectric wall having ionizable material thereon, the passage having opening means through which the plasma jet passes into the confined chamber and behind the projectile, means for establishing an electric discharge having a controlled current between spaced regions along the length of the passage to ionize the material and form a plasma in the passage, the plasma in the passage forming a plasma jet that flows out of the opening means to interact with the compound.

A method of accelerating a projectile comprising the steps of deriving a plasma gas jet by applying a discharge current to a dielectric ionizable substance along a wall of an elongated passage, interacting the plasma gas jet with a chemical compound including hydrogen and oxygen, as well as a mass of elemental metal or a metal hydride, the compound and the mass being positioned behind the projectile, the plasma jet being injected from the passage into the compound and mass, an exothermic chemical reaction occurring between the compound and the mass while they interact with the plasma jet, the exothermic reaction forming high pressure gas in a confined chamber behind the projectile, and applying the confined high pressure gas in the chamber to the projectile to drive the projectile.