Electrically activated, metal-fueled explosive device

A process for perforating an object comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a shaped charge, said shaped charge comprising a cable, a casing, an electrically conductive reactive mass and a liner, said cable being electrically connected to said electrically conductive reactive mass, and said reactive mass positioned between said casing and said liner, wherein said electrically conductive reactive mass comprises a distribution of conductive reactive material and an oxidizing material which will oxidize said electrically conductive reactive mass at a temperature of at least 1000.degree. K.,
• b) activating said electrically conductive reactive mass with a pulsed electrical charge of at least 0.5 kJ/grams of electrically conductive reactive mass in less than 20 microseconds,
• c) activation of said electrically conductive reactive mass by said pulsed electrical charge causing at least some of said electrically conductive reactive mass to pass into a vapor phase and being oxidized by said oxidizing material,
• d) said electrically conductive reactive mass being oxidized by said oxidizing material causing liner mass to be projected from said shaped charge and perforating an object.

A process for perforating an object comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a shaped charge, said shaped charge comprising a cable, a casing, a reactive mass and a liner, said cable being electrically connected to said reactive mass, and said reactive mass positioned between said casing and said liner, wherein said reactive mass comprises a distribution of conductive reactive material and an oxidizing material which will oxidize said reactive at a temperature of at least 1000.degree. K.,
• b) activating said reactive mass with a pulsed electrical charge of at least 0.5 kJ/grams of reactive mass in less than 20 microseconds,
• c) activation of said reactive mass by said pulsed electrical charge causing at least some of said conductive reactive material to pass into a vapor phase and being oxidized by said oxidizing material,
• d) said conductive reactive material being oxidized by said oxidizing material causing liner mass to be projected from said shaped charge and perforating an object,
• wherein said pulsed current enters a reactive mass comprising metal wire wrapped circumferentially about the liner in layers so that current can flow in series and/or parallel though said wire, each wire is covered by a sheath of insulating material that is an insulator during heating and a first oxidizing material after the metal wire passes into said vapor phase wherein sufficient energy is passed to the metal wire via Joule heating to cause the wires to burst by having said metal wire vaporize, the energy of said pulsed current being rapidly deposited into the wire to cause oxidation reactions with said metal to occur in less that 2 microseconds to achieve pressures of greater than 75 kilobars, causing the liner to collapse, and forming a jet of rapidly moving material which perforates said object.

A process for perforating an object comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a shaped charge, said shaped charge comprising a cable, a casing, a reactive mass and a liner, said cable being electrically connected to said reactive mass, and said reactive mass positioned between said casing and said liner, wherein said reactive mass comprises a distribution of conductive reactive material and an oxidizing material which will oxidize said reactive at a temperature of at least 1000.degree. K.,
• b) activating said reactive mass with a pulsed electrical charge of at least 0.5 kJ/grams of reactive mass in less than 20 microseconds,
• c) activation of said reactive mass by said pulsed electrical charge causing at least some of said conductive reactive material to pass into a vapor phase and being oxidized by said oxidizing material,
• d) said conductive reactive material being oxidized by said oxidizing material causing liner mass to be projected from said shaped charge and perforating an object,
• wherein said pulsed current enters a reactive mass comprising metal wire wrapped circumferentially about the liner in layers so that current can flow in series and/or parallel though said wire, each wire is covered by a sheath of insulating material that is an insulator during heating and a first oxidizing material after the metal wire passes into said vapor phase wherein 60% to 70% of the energy in said pulsed charge is deposited into the wire during the latter 25% of the time internal of said pulse.

A process for perforating an object comprising the steps of:

• a) providing a shaped charge, said shaped charge comprising a cable, a casing, an electrically conductive reactive mass and a liner, said cable being electrically connected to said electrically conductive reactive mass, and said electrically conductive reactive mass positioned between said casing and said liner, wherein said electrically conductive reactive mass comprises a distribution of aluminum metal and an oxidizing material which will oxidize said aluminum metal at a temperature of at least 1000.degree. K.,
• b) activating said electrically conductive reactive mass with a pulsed electrical charge of at least 1 kJ/gram of aluminum in less than 20 microseconds,
• c) activation of said conductive reactive mass by said pulsed electrical charge causing at least some of said aluminum metal to pass into a vapor phase and being oxidized by said oxidizing material,
• said aluminum being oxidized by said oxidizing material causing liner mass to be projected from said shaped charge and perforating an object.

An explosive device comprising:

• a) a casing,
• b) an electrical connection means though said casing to a reactive mass within said casing,
• c) said reactive mass consisting essentially of an electrically conductive reactant in association with an oxidizing agent,
• d) said conductive reactant forming an electrically conductive path along its entire length.