Cavitating explosively augmented water-jet mine cutter system

A method of neutralizing mines comprising the steps of:

• providing a support vehicle for transit on a roadway;
• mounting a source of fluid on said vehicle;
• generating high pressure for said fluid on said vehicle, said step of generating including the steps of:
• pumping said fluid by a pump to partially raise the pressure thereof;
• further raising the pressure of said fluid to the pressure of said high pressure fluid in a pressure vessel;
• and selectively modifying flow properties of said high pressure fluid in an actuator valve, said step of selectively modifying flow properties including the step of;
• pulsating said high pressure fluid at selectively different frequencies, pressures, and flow rates;
• jetting flow of said high pressure fluid from said vehicle through nozzles;
• moving said vehicle along a roadway;
• orientating said jetting flow of high pressure fluid onto and into said roadway;
• neutralizing mines lying on and buried under said roadway by contacting said mines with said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid, said step of neutralizing comprising the steps of:
• displacing ground by said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid;
• exerting pressure to detonate said mines by said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid;
• and
• cutting parts of said mines by said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid, said step of pumping and said step of further raising the pressure being adapted to raise the pressure of said high pressure fluid sufficiently to cause cavitation in said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid.

A method of neutralizing mines comprising the steps of:

• providing a support vehicle for transit on a roadway;
• mounting a source of fluid on said vehicle;
• generating high pressure for said fluid on said vehicle;
• adding explosive material to said high pressure fluid;
• jetting flow of said high pressure fluid from said vehicle through nozzles;
• moving said vehicle along a roadway;
• and
• orientating said jetting flow of high pressure fluid onto and into said roadway.

A mine neutralizing system comprising:

• a vehicle capable of providing transportation on a roadway;
• a source of fluid on said vehicle;
• a pump on said vehicle connected to said fluid source and capable of partially raising the pressure of said fluid;
• a cavitation pressure vessel on said vehicle coupled to the outlet of said pump to accumulate fluid at high pressure;
• an actuator valve coupled to said cavitation pressure vessel configured to selectively modify the flow characteristics of said high pressure fluid to be pulsating at selectively different frequencies, pressures, and flow rates;
• at least one nozzle on said vehicle coupled to said actuator valve, said nozzle configured to jet flow of said high pressure fluid therethrough;
• a framework on said vehicle connected to said at least one nozzle configured to orient said at least one nozzle to direct said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid downward and into ground under said roadway;
• an abrasive additive unit coupled to receive said high pressure fluid from said actuator valve to add abrasive to said high pressure fluid before it reaches said at least one nozzle;
• and
• an explosive additive unit coupled to receive said high pressure fluid from said actuator valve to add explosive material to said high pressure fluid before it reaches said at least one nozzle;
• wherein said pump and said cavitation pressure vessel are configured to be capable of raising the pressure of said high pressure fluid to cause cavitation in said jetted flow of said high pressure fluid.