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A pulsed high pressure, supersonic plasma jet for accelerating a projectile through an elongated confined bore is derived from a dielectric structure including a capillary passage having an interior wall surface from which plasma forming material is ablated in response to a discharge voltage applied

A pulsed high pressure, supersonic plasma jet for accelerating a projectile through an elongated confined bore is derived from a dielectric structure including a capillary passage having an interior wall surface from which plasma forming material is ablated in response to a discharge voltage applied to first and second electrodes respectively forming a nozzle and plug at opposite ends of the passage. The nozzle injects the plasma into the bore behind the projectile.

대표청구항 ▼

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile comprising means for deriving a high temperature, high pressure pulsed supersonic plasma jet from a dielectric ionizable substance, said jet deriving means including a structure having an interior dielectric wall surface forming a capillary passage, high volta

Apparatus for accelerating a projectile comprising means for deriving a high temperature, high pressure pulsed supersonic plasma jet from a dielectric ionizable substance, said jet deriving means including a structure having an interior dielectric wall surface forming a capillary passage, high voltage power supply means for applying a discharge voltage between spaced regions along the length of the interior wall surface while the dielectric ionizable substance extends longitudinally along the wall surface completely between the regions to form a capillary discharge between the regions, the dielectric substance including at least one atomic element that is ionized to form a plasma in response to the discharge voltage from the high voltage power supply means being applied between the spaced regions, the plasma being formed in the passage in response to the substance being ionized between the spaced regions by the discharge voltage applied by the high voltage power supply means between the spaced regions, the diametric length across the passage being short relative to the distance between the spaced regions, first and second ends of the passage being arranged while the discharge voltage is applied between the spaced regions to respectively enable and prevent the flow of plasma through them, the plasma in the passage forming an electric discharge channel between the spaced regions while the discharge voltage is applied between the regions, the capillary passage being configured and the spaced regions being positioned so ohmic dissipation occurs in the electric discharge channel in response to the discharge voltage being applied between the spaced regions to produce a high pressure in the passage, the pressure being sufficiently high and the capillary passage being configured to cause the plasma in the passage to flow longitudinally in the passage and with supersonic speed through the first end to form the pulsed plasma jet; and means forming an elongated confined bore having an inlet downstream of the first end so that the supersonic pulsed plasma jet flows through the first end into the bore, the pulsed plasma jet flowing into the bore behind the projectile to produce a high pressure against the rear of the projectile, the high pressure gas acting on the rear of the projectile having sufficient pressure against the rear of the projectile to accelerate the projectile through a substantial length of the bore.