Annular plasma injector
AssigneeFMC Corporation
InventorsJohn S. Lindblom, Steven R. Zelenak, Steven M. French, Mark E. Schneider
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Abstract
This disclosure relates to a plasma generation device particularly adapted to an electrothermal-chemical propulsion system. The device comprises a membranous conductive substance having structural compositions which enable the formation of a continuous and volumetrically distributed plasma arc. The membranous substance is versatile and operates, inter alia, as a fuse wire, plasma incubator, plasma container, plasma distributor, plasma infusion and permeation media as well as a fuel container.
Claims10
An annular plasma injector device with a combustible mass in a cartridge having a power supply to provide sufficient power to generate plasma and accelerate a projectile comprising:
- a power rod extending from the power supply and connected to a first terminal;
- a conductive foam membrane structure for directing power to a second terminal enveloping said power rod with a dielectric liner therebetween and axially extending in said cartridge to form annular plasma discharge;
- said conductive foam membrane structure having connection to said first terminal;
- and
- said power rod, said conductive foam membrane structure, said first and second terminals disposed in the combustible mass within said cartridge.
An annular plasma injector device with a combustible mass and a power supply having sufficient power to generate plasma contained in a cartridge to accelerate a projectile comprising:
- a conductive foam membrane structure for developing, containing, incubating, distributing and surfacially infusing plasma into the combustible mass;
- said conductive foam membrane structure forming a tubular housing extending into a combustible mass and cantilevered at a stub case of the cartridge;
- a power rod disposed in said conductive membrane foam structure with a dielectric insulator therebetween;
- an anode and a cathode terminal wherein said anode terminal is integrally connected to said power rod and said conductive foam membrane structure and further that said conductive foam membrane structure forms an annular enclosure around said cathode terminal at said stub case of the cartridge;
- and
- said conductive foam membrane structure, said power rod, said anode and said cathode terminals and the combustible mass contained in the cartridge and integrally joined to the projectile.
A method of distributing fuel-impregnated plasma into a combustible mass in a cartridge comprising the steps of:
- storing fuel in ullage volume of a tubular, conductive, porous foam membrane structure and providing a dielectric sheath for both internal and external surfaces of said structure to thereby contain said fuel in said ullage volume;
- inserting a power rod in said structure;
- connecting said structure between an anode and a cathode terminals;
- and
- energizing said structure to vaporize said structure and generate fuel impregnated plasma to surfacially and annularly distribute said plasma into the combustible mass.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.