초록 ▼

A high pressure plasma initially formed from a fluidizable substance in a confined region of a passage behind a projectile in the passage initially accelerates the projectile toward an open end of the passage. The plasma is intially derived by supplying a discharge current to an electrode in the sub

A high pressure plasma initially formed from a fluidizable substance in a confined region of a passage behind a projectile in the passage initially accelerates the projectile toward an open end of the passage. The plasma is intially derived by supplying a discharge current to an electrode in the substance. The plasma in the confined region is ohmically heated by an azimuthal current generated in the plasma by an AC magnetic field that is coaxial with the passage or by a discharge current flowing longitudinally through the passage and projectile. A cartridge includes the projectile and a wall of the passage that is evaporated after the projectile has been fired so the evaporant flows out of the passage after the projectile.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile comprising a structure having a capillary passage with a dielectric wall containing ionizable material, first and second electrodes at spaced points along the length of the passage, the projectile being positioned in the passage, one end of the passage being c

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile comprising a structure having a capillary passage with a dielectric wall containing ionizable material, first and second electrodes at spaced points along the length of the passage, the projectile being positioned in the passage, one end of the passage being closed and the other end being open so that the projectile can be projected through it, means for establishing a discharge along the length of the passage between the electrodes and through the projectile for ionizing the material from the wall in front and in back of the projectile to form a high pressure region behind the projectile to accelerate the projectile along the passage and through the open end of the passage, a mass of low atomic weight vaporizable substance in the passage behind the projectile, means for vaporizing the substance to establish a high pressure behind the projectile to accelerate the projectile toward the open end, the projectile being additionally accelerated by the high pressure in the region behind the projectile by the ionized material, and means separate from the establishing means for applying energy to the substance to evaporate it.