Apparatus and method for the acceleration of projectiles to hypervelocities

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1990

OSTI ID:867438

Hertzberg, Abraham ^[1]; Bruckner, Adam P ^[2]; Bogdanoff, David W ^[1]

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1. Bellevue, WA
2. Seattle, WA

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.

• Research Organization: Univ. of Washington, Seattle, WA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AM06-76RL02225
• Assignee: Washington Research Foundation (Seattle, WA)
• Patent Number(s): US 4938112
• OSTI ID: 867438
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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
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