High-pressure having plasma flow transverse to plasma discharge particularly for projectile acceleration
US5072647A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 10, 1989 |
| Grant date | Dec 17, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 10, 2009 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF41B6/00
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A projectile is accelerated through a gun barrel in response to high pressure gas applied to the rear of the projectile in response to a high pressure plasma discharge. Plasma from the discharge flows transversely of the discharge into a chamber through multiple openings in a passage wall that confines the discharge. The high pressure, high temperature plasma flowing into the chamber causes an exothermic reaction of water and metal particles in a slurry in the chamber to produce high pressure hydrogen gas that flows longitudinally of the discharge against the rear of the projectile. To maintain the pressure of hydrogen gas acting against the projectile relatively constant as the projectile is accelerated down the barrel, electric power applied to the discharge increases substantially linearly as a function of time.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.