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US 9,551,547 B2Granted
Repeatable plasma generator and method for the same
AssigneeBae Systems Bofors AB
InventorDenny Aberg
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AssigneeBae Systems Bofors AB
InventorDenny Aberg
Estimating the term…
The invention relates to a method for the repeatable initiation of propellent charges in a weapon system, for example in the firing of projectiles from a barrel weapon, through electrical discharge between a rear electrode (22) and a front electrode (21) in a combustion chamber channel (3) filled with filler gas and comprising a combustion chamber combustion element (30), in which the filler gas in the combustion chamber channel (3) is ionized via a high-voltage potential from at least one ionizing electrode (100, 101, 102, 103), which ionization increases the electrical conductivity in the combustion chamber channel (3) so that an electrical flashover, through electrical discharge via a high-voltage generator (5) between the rear electrode (22) and the front electrode (21), is generated from the rear electrode (22) via at least one ionizing electrode (100, 101, 102, 103) onward to the front electrode (21), which results in hot ignition gas with plasma-like state being expelled from the combustion chamber channel (3). The invention also relates to a plasma generator for the said method, and to an ammunition unit comprising the said plasma generator.
A plasma generator for the repeatable initiation of propellant charges in a weapon system through electrical discharge between a rear electrode and a front electrode in a combustion chamber channel, comprised in a combustion chamber combustion element and filled with filler gas, and disposed adjacent to a propellant charge, wherein the plasma generator comprises at least one ionizing electrode connected to an initiation circuit for ionizing the filler gas in the combustion chamber channel to raise the conductivity of the filler gas, as well as a second high-voltage generator arranged for electrical discharge into the filler gas of raised conductivity from the rear electrode via the at least one ionizing electrode onward to the front electrode, so that hot ignition gas is formed under high pressure.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.