Non-explosive acoustic source
AssigneeBAE Systems Advanced Technologies, Inc.
InventorsMichael Raleigh, James Galambos, Michael Bohnet
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A non-explosive acoustic source utilizes the combustion of aluminum and water to generate an acoustic pulse. The operation of the non-explosive acoustic source relies on a water/aluminum reaction to generate a burst pressure. The source may be deployed as a single charge or as one element of a multiple charge array and is configurable to explode at variable depths with variable energy levels. The inherent safety of the non-explosive acoustic source obviates the necessity for auxiliary safety features or procedures to protect against inadvertent explosion. As a result, the non-explosive acoustic source facilitates the implementation of sonic detection systems and reduces the operational costs associated with such systems.
Claims5
A non-explosive acoustic source comprising:
- a confinement tube including apertures at opposing ends thereof and a combustion chamber located between the opposing ends, wherein the combustion chamber includes aluminum powder;
- a first end plug located in a first aperture of the confinement tube, wherein the first end plug includes means for permitting the entry of water into the confinement tube at a specific water pressure;
- a second end plug located in a second aperture of the confinement tube opposite the first aperture, wherein the second end plug includes a detonator.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.