High-pressure having plasma flow transverse to plasma discharge particularly for projectile acceleration

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel comprising electric means for establishing a plasma discharge in a structure confining the discharge, the pressure of the plasma in the discharge being sufficient to accelerate the projectile in the bore, means for establishing a chamber wherein high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerated through the bore, and means for establishing a flow path transverse to the bore and the discharge from the structure into the chamber for enabling gas derived in response to the discharge to flow transversely of the bore and the discharge from the structure into the chamber, wherein the chamber discharge and barrel bore are arranged so that gas in the chamber flows longitudinally relative to the discharge through an outlet of the chamber into the barrel bore, the chamber having a cross-sectional area which varies as a function of distance from the chamber outlet such that the chamber cross-sectional area decreases for increasing distances away from chamber outlet.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel having a longitudinal axis comprising electric means for establishing a plasma discharge in the direction of the longitudinal axis in a structure confining the discharge, the pressure of the plasma in the discharge being sufficient to accelerate the projectile in the bore, means for establishing a chamber wherein high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerated through the bore, and means for establishing a flow path transverse to the bore from where the discharge occurs into the chamber for enabling gas derived in response to the discharge to flow transversely of the bore and the discharge from the structure into the chamber, the transverse flow path being substantially through out the length of the plasma discharge, the structure having a passage with a wall of dielectric material, an electrode at each end of the passage, each of the electrodes plugging an end of the passage to prevent the flow of the high pressure plasma through it.

A method of accelerating a projectile in a bore having a longitudinal axis comprising the steps of applying a discharge voltage between a pair of spaced regions to generate a plasma discharge between the regions, the discharge extending in generally the same direction as the bore, the discharge voltage imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile in the bore, confining the flow in the direction of the discharge of the plasma and high pressure gas resulting from the plasma to a volume between the regions, and responding to the high pressure gas resulting from the plasma discharge and flowing transversely from where the discharge occurs and transversely of the bore axis and the discharge through a wall surrounding the plasma discharge to produce a high pressure gas that acts on the rear of the projectile to accelerate the projectile, the gas flowing transversely of the bore axis flowing substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions, the high pressure gas which accelerates the projectile flowing against the projectile in generally the same direction as the plasma discharge.

Apparatus for generating a high pressure gas having a flow direction along a longitudinal axis comprising electric means for establishing a high pressure plasma discharge between a pair of spaced regions, the discharge extending in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis and being in a structure having a wall extending between the spaced regions, both ends of the wall being plugged to prevent the flow of plasma in the discharge through them, means for forming a chamber, and means for establishing a fluid flow path transversely to the discharge and transversely from where the discharge occurs to the chamber and through the wall substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions for enabling high pressure gas resulting from the plasma in the discharge to flow from the structure into the chamber substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions, and orifice means in the chamber for causing the high pressure gas resulting from the plasma to flow along the longitudinal axis.

Apparatus for generating a high pressure gas having a flow direction along a longitudinal axis comprising electric means for establishing a high pressure plasma discharge between a pair of spaced regions, the discharge extending in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis and being in a structure having a wall extending between the spaced regions, both ends of the wall being plugged to prevent the flow of plasma in the discharge through them, means for forming a chamber, and means for establishing a fluid flow path from the discharge to the chamber transversely to the discharge and through the wall substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions for enabling high pressure gas resulting from the plasma in the discharge to flow from the structure into the chamber substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions, and orifice means in the chamber for causing the high pressure gas resulting from the plasma to flow along the longitudinal axis, the chamber and the plasma discharge being included in structures such that the discharge and chamber are coaxial with each other.

Apparatus for generating a high pressure gas comprising electric means for establishing a high pressure plasma discharge between a pair of spaced regions, the discharge being in a structure having a wall, means for forming a chamber, and means for establishing a fluid flow path from the discharge to the chamber transversely to the discharge and through openings in the wall for enabling high pressure gas resulting from the plasma in the discharge to flow from the structure into the chamber, the structure including a passage having a wall of dielectric material, an electrode at each end of the passage, each of the electrodes plugging an end of the passage to prevent the flow of the high pressure plasma through it.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel comprising electric means for establishing a plasma discharge in a volume between a pair of spaced regions having plugs therein for preventing the flow of plasma in the discharge through ends of the regions, the electric means imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the barrel bore, means for establishing a chamber from which high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerated through the bore, and means for establishing a fluid flow path from the discharge into the chamber for enabling plasma in the discharge to flow from the discharge into the chamber, the means for establishing the discharge including a tube having a passage with a dielectric wall, the passage including a mixture comprising metal particles and a hydrogen containing liquid, the mixture being initially spaced from and responding to the discharge to produce a chemical reaction from which high pressure hydrogen gas is produced, the hydrogen gas having sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the bore.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel comprising electric means for establishing a plasma discharge along a longitudinal axis of a volume, means for plugging ends of the volume to prevent the flow of plasma in the discharge through the ends, the electric means imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the barrel bore, means for establishing a chamber wherein high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerated through the bore, and means for establishing a flow path transversely of the axis from the discharge into the chamber for enabling plasma in the discharge flow from the discharge into the chamber, the chamber including a slurry of aluminum particles and water that exothermically react in response to the plasma flowing into the chamber to produce hydrogen gas and oxides of aluminum, the hydrogen gas having sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the bore.

A method accelerating a projectile in a bore comprising the steps of applying a discharge voltage between a pair of spaced regions to generate a plasma discharge between the regions, the discharge voltage imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile in the bore, preventing the flow of the plasma longitudinally through ends of the spaced regions, and chemically reacting high pressure gas resulting from the plasma discharge and flowing transversely from the discharge throughout a substantial distance between the spaced regions with a mixture to produce a high pressure gas that acts on the rear of the projectile to accelerate the projectile, the high pressure gas which accelerates the projectile flowing against the projectile in generally the same direction as the plasma discharge.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel, the bore and barrel having a longitudinal axis, comprising means including an electric power supply for establishing a plasma discharge, the power supply imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the barrel bore, means for establishing a chamber wherein high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerated through the bore, and means for establishing a flow path for the plasma in the discharge from the discharge into the chamber transversely to the bore longitudinal axis, the flow path being transverse from a region where the discharge occurs through a substantial length of the discharge, and means for plugging ends of the region at right angles to the discharge to prevent the axial flow of the plasma through the ends of the region, the chamber including a material that interacts with the plasma flowing into the chamber from the discharge to produce the high pressure gas that flows to the rear of the projectile to accelerate the projectile in the bore.

A method of accelerating a projectile in a bore of a gun barrel, the bore and barrel having a longitudinal axis, comprising establishing a plasma discharge, connecting an electric power supply to a volume where the discharge is established, the power supply imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the barrel bore, flowing plasma resulting from the discharge transversely to the bore longitudinal axis into a chamber, the flow path being transverse from a region where the discharge occurs through a substantial length of the discharge, preventing the plasma from flowing through ends of the region, applying the plasma flowing into the chamber to material in the chamber to instigate a chemical reaction between components of the material, the chemical reaction producing a gas having sufficiently high pressure to accelerate the projectile in the bore, and flowing the high pressure gas longitudinally of the bore from the chamber into the bore against the projectile to accelerate the projectile in the bore.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile along a longitudinal axis of a bore of a barrel of the gun comprising means including an electric power supply for establishing a plasma discharge, the power supply imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the barrel bore, a chamber, means for providing a flow path for plasma produced by the discharge from the discharge to the chamber, the flow path being transverse to the bore longitudinal axis, the flow path being transverse from a region where the discharge occurs through a substantial length of the discharge, means for plugging ends of the region where the discharge occurs to prevent the plasma from flowing through the ends of the region, the chamber including a mixture of components that react chemically in response to the plasma flowing via the path being incident thereon, a product of the chemical reaction being a gas having sufficiently high pressure to accelerate the projectile, and means for providing a flow path for the gas longitudinally of the bore from the chamber into the bore against the projectile to accelerate the projectile in the bore.

Apparatus for providing a flow of a high pressure gas along a longitudinal axis comprising means including an electric power supply for establishing a plasma discharge, the power supply imparting sufficient energy to the plasma discharge to cause the discharge to have sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the barrel bore, a chamber, means for providing a flow path for plasma produced by the discharge from the discharge to the chamber, the flow path being transverse to the longitudinal axis, the flow path being transverse from a region where the discharge occurs through a substantial length of the discharge, means for plugging ends of the region where the discharge occurs to prevent the plasma from flowing through the ends of the region, the chamber including a mixture of components that react chemically in response to the plasma flowing via the path being incident thereon, a product of the chemical reaction being the high pressure gas, the chamber including orifice means with an outlet for directing the flow of the high pressure gas in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile in a bore having an elongated axis comprising a plasma source including a pair of electrodes longitudinally spaced from each other in a region so a longitudinal axis between the electrodes extends in the same direction as the elongated axis of the bore, means for connecting said electrodes to opposite terminals of a power supply to establish an electric discharge between the electrodes, the electric discharge establishing a plasma between the electrodes and imparting sufficient energy to the plasma to cause the plasma to have sufficient energy to accelerate the projectile in the bore, a chamber in fluid flow relation with the region the chamber and region being positioned so that fluid including the plasma flows radially from between the electrodes into the chamber, said chamber including a mass of material positioned, arranged and of a type that is energized in response to the plasma being incident thereon to produce a low atomic weight gas, means for preventing the axial flow of fluid from the region to the bore, and means for establishing a flow path for the low atomic weight gas from the chamber into the bore in a direction extending in generally the same direction as the elongated axis.

A method of accelerating a projectile in a bore having an elongated axis comprising establishing a plasma discharge by providing a discharge voltage between a pair of spaced electrodes in a region having a longitudinal axis extending in the same direction as the elongated axis the discharge voltage imparting sufficient energy to the plasma to enable the plasma to accelerate the projectile in the bore, preventing the axial flow of fluid from the region to the bore, flowing fluid including the plasma radially from the region between the electrodes into a chamber, generating a low atomic weigh gas in the chamber by causing the radially flowing plasma to be incident on a mass of material in the chamber, and flowing the generated low atomic weight gas from the chamber longitudinally of the elongated axis into the bore so the projectile is accelerated in the bore.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel having a longitudinal axis comprising electric means for establishing a plasma discharge in the direction of the longitudinal axis in a structure confining the discharge, the pressure of the plasma int he discharge being sufficient to accelerate the projectile in the bore, means for establishing a chamber wherein high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerated through the bore, and means for establishing a flow path transverse to the bore from where the discharge occurs into the chamber for enabling gas derived in response to the discharge to flow transversely of the bore and the discharge from the structure into the chamber, the transverse flow path being substantially throughout the length of the plasma discharge, the structure having a passage in which the discharge is established, each end of the passage being plugged to prevent the flow of the high pressure plasma through it.

Apparatus for generating a high pressure gas having a flow direction along a longitudinal axis comprising electric means for establishing a high pressure plasma discharge between a pair of spaced regions, the discharge extending in generally the same direction as the longitudinal axis and being in a structure having a wall, means for forming a chamber, and means for establishing a fluid flow path transversely to the discharge and transversely from where the discharge occurs to the chamber and through the wall substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions for enabling high pressure gas resulting from the plasma in the discharge to flow from the structure into the chamber substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions, and orifice means in the chamber for causing the high pressure gas resulting from the plasma to flow along the longitudinal axis, the structure having a passage in which the discharge is established, each end of the passage having an end face for preventing the flow of the high pressure plasma through it.

An electrothermal gun for accelerating a projectile in a bore of a barrel comprising electric means for establishing a plasma discharge between a pair of spaced regions, means for establishing a chamber from which high pressure gas flows to the rear of the projectile while the projectile is in the bore and being accelerate through the bore, and means for establishing a fluid flow path from the discharge into the chamber for enabling plasma in the discharge to flow from the discharge into the chamber, the means for establishing the discharge including a tube having a passage with a dielectric wall, the passage including a mixture comprising metal particles and a hydrogen containing liquid, the mixture being initially spaced from and responding to the discharge to produce a chemical reaction from which high pressure hydrogen gas is produced, the hydrogen gas having sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile through the bore, each end of the passage being plugged to prevent the flow of the plasma through it.

A method of accelerating a projectile in a bore having a longitudinal axis comprising the steps of applying a discharge voltage between a pair of spaced regions to generate a plasma discharge between the regions, the discharge extending in generally the same direction as the bore, the plasma discharge having sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile in the bore, and responding to high pressure gas resulting from the plasma discharge and flowing transversely from where the discharge occurs and transversely of the bore axis and the discharge through a wall surrounding the plasma discharge to produce a high pressure gas that acts on the rear of the projectile to accelerate the projectile, the gas flowing transversely of the bore axis flowing substantially throughout the distance between the spaced regions, the high pressure gas which accelerates the projectile flowing against the projectile in generally the same direction as the plasma discharge, and confining the flow of fluid axially of the discharge to a volume between the regions while the high pressure gas flows against the projectile to accelerate the projectile.

A method of accelerating a projectile in a bore comprising the steps of applying a discharge voltage between a pair of spaced regions to generate a plasma discharge between the regions, the plasma discharge having sufficient pressure to accelerate the projectile in the bore, and chemically reacting high pressure gas resulting from the plasma discharge and flowing transversely from the discharge throughout a substantial distance between the spaced regions with a mixture to produce a high pressure gas that acts on the rear of the projectile to accelerate the projectile, the high pressure gas which accelerates the projectile flowing against the projectile in generally the same direction as the plasma discharge, and confining the flow of fluid axially of the discharge to a volume between the regions while the high pressure gas flows against the projectile to accelerate the projectile.