Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities
Abstract
A projectile is initially accelerated to a supersonic velocity and then injected into a launch tube filled with a gaseous propellant. The projectile outer surface and launch tube inner surface form a ramjet having a diffuser, a combustion chamber and a nozzle. A catalytic coated flame holder projecting from the projectile ignites the gaseous propellant in the combustion chamber thereby accelerating the projectile in a subsonic combustion mode zone. The projectile then enters an overdriven detonation wave launch tube zone wherein further projectile acceleration is achieved by a formed, controlled overdriven detonation wave capable of igniting the gaseous propellant in the combustion chamber. Ultrahigh velocity projectile accelerations are achieved in a launch tube layered detonation zone having an inner sleeve filled with hydrogen gas. An explosive, which is disposed in the annular zone between the inner sleeve and the launch tube, explodes responsive to an impinging shock wave emanating from the diffuser of the accelerating projectile thereby forcing the inner sleeve inward and imparting an acceleration to the projectile. For applications wherein solid or liquid high explosives are employed, the explosion thereof forces the inner sleeve inward, forming a throat behind the projectile. This throat chokes flow behind, thereby impartingmore »
- Inventors:
-
- Bellevue, WA
- Seattle, WA
- Issue Date:
- Research Org.:
- Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
- OSTI Identifier:
- 867438
- Patent Number(s):
- 4938112
- Assignee:
- Washington Research Foundation (Seattle, WA)
- Patent Classifications (CPCs):
-
F - MECHANICAL ENGINEERING F41 - WEAPONS F41A - FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS COMMON TO BOTH SMALLARMS AND ORDNANCE, e.g. CANNONS
- DOE Contract Number:
- AM06-76RL02225
- Resource Type:
- Patent
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- apparatus; method; acceleration; projectiles; hypervelocities; projectile; initially; accelerated; supersonic; velocity; injected; launch; tube; filled; gaseous; propellant; outer; surface; inner; form; ramjet; diffuser; combustion; chamber; nozzle; catalytic; coated; flame; holder; projecting; ignites; accelerating; subsonic; mode; zone; enters; overdriven; detonation; wave; achieved; formed; controlled; capable; igniting; ultrahigh; accelerations; layered; sleeve; hydrogen; gas; explosive; disposed; annular; explodes; responsive; impinging; shock; emanating; forcing; inward; imparting; applications; solid; liquid; explosives; employed; explosion; forces; forming; throat; chokes; flow; detonation wave; launch tube; inner sleeve; shock wave; hydrogen gas; combustion chamber; inner surface; outer surface; tube filled; accelerating projectile; sonic velocity; wave launch; surface form; velocity projectile; /89/60/
Citation Formats
Hertzberg, Abraham, Bruckner, Adam P, and Bogdanoff, David W. Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities. United States: N. p., 1990.
Web.
Hertzberg, Abraham, Bruckner, Adam P, & Bogdanoff, David W. Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities. United States.
Hertzberg, Abraham, Bruckner, Adam P, and Bogdanoff, David W. Mon .
"Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities". United States. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/867438.
@article{osti_867438,
title = {Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities},
author = {Hertzberg, Abraham and Bruckner, Adam P and Bogdanoff, David W},
abstractNote = {A projectile is initially accelerated to a supersonic velocity and then injected into a launch tube filled with a gaseous propellant. The projectile outer surface and launch tube inner surface form a ramjet having a diffuser, a combustion chamber and a nozzle. A catalytic coated flame holder projecting from the projectile ignites the gaseous propellant in the combustion chamber thereby accelerating the projectile in a subsonic combustion mode zone. The projectile then enters an overdriven detonation wave launch tube zone wherein further projectile acceleration is achieved by a formed, controlled overdriven detonation wave capable of igniting the gaseous propellant in the combustion chamber. Ultrahigh velocity projectile accelerations are achieved in a launch tube layered detonation zone having an inner sleeve filled with hydrogen gas. An explosive, which is disposed in the annular zone between the inner sleeve and the launch tube, explodes responsive to an impinging shock wave emanating from the diffuser of the accelerating projectile thereby forcing the inner sleeve inward and imparting an acceleration to the projectile. For applications wherein solid or liquid high explosives are employed, the explosion thereof forces the inner sleeve inward, forming a throat behind the projectile. This throat chokes flow behind, thereby imparting an acceleration to the projectile.},
doi = {},
journal = {},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990},
month = {Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990}
}