Disrupter driven highly efficient energy transfer fluid jets

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11187487-B1
Application number	US-201715731874-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Aug 18, 2017
Priority date	Aug 18, 2017
Publication date	Nov 30, 2021
Grant date	Nov 30, 2021

Abstract

Provided herein are projectiles for use in a propellant driven disrupter device, and associated methods, to neutralize an explosive target. The projectile may comprise a friction reducing container at least partially filled with one or more fluids, fluid mixtures, particles, and other components to provide one or more desired fluid properties to achieve a desired one or more jet parameters upon target impact. The fluid(s) in the container are referred to as highly efficient energy transfer (HEET) fluids do to the improved fluid jet action on target compared to conventional water projectiles. The projectiles and disruptor can be more precisely individually tailored to the target, thereby increasing the likelihood of successful disablement and decreasing the likelihood of inadvertent and uncontrolled explosion.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A projectile system for use in a propellant driven disrupter, comprising:
the propellant driven disrupter comprising a barrel; and
a projectile comprising a friction reducing container having a cylindrical shape and a longitudinal length L P , with a container wall having a thickness defined by an outer diameter and an Inner diameter,
wherein the outer diameter is selected to fit in the barrel of the disrupter and the inner diameter is selected to provide a container lumen,
wherein the friction reducing container includes a friction reducing container proximal end that defines a proximal end of the container lumen and configured to face a breech-end portion of the barrel,
wherein the friction reducing container incudes a friction reducing container distal end that defines a distal end of the container lumen and configured to face a muzzle of the barrel,
wherein the friction reducing container includes a highly efficient energy transfer (HEET) fluid at least partially filling the container lumen,
wherein the barrel has a longitudinal length (L B ) and 0.1≤L P /L B ≤1, wherein the HEET fluid forms a fluid jet having a jet length after exiting the barrel and before a target impact,
wherein the HEET fluid is selected from the group consisting of at least one of water, oil, syrup, ionic solutions, alcohol, a liquid polymer, a pre-polymer, an elastomer-containing liquid, a mechanophore, and a clay,
wherein the HEET fluid further comprises solid particles, wherein the solid particles are localized in a fluid zone of the container lumen, and wherein the fluid zone includes a second length less than a first length of the HEET fluid confined in the container lumen.

2. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the HEET fluid comprises a plurality pf solid particles, and wherein the plurality of solid particles are positioned at the proximal end of the friction reducing container to form a HEET density gradient with a higher effective density at the proximal end to provide an improved jet parameter during use.

3. The projectile of claim 2 , wherein the HEET fluid is comprised of one of a Newtonian fluid, a semi-solid, and a Newtonian fluid and a semi-solid.

4. The projectile system of claim 1 , wherein the HEET fluid further comprises solid particles.

5. The projectile system of claim 1 , wherein the HEET fluid further comprises solid particles, and wherein the solid particles are substantially uniformly distributed in the HEET fluid.

6. The projectile system of claim 1 , wherein the HEET fluid further comprises solid particles, and wherein the solid particles are selected from the group consisting of at least one of clay, steel shot, lead shot, plastic beads, sand, metallic microparticles, garnet microparticles, ceramic powder, wood dust, and plastic dust.

7. A projectile system for use in a propellant driven disrupter, comprising:
the propellant driven disrupter comprising a barrel; and
a projectile comprising a friction reducing container having a cylindrical shape and a longitudinal length L P , with a container wall having a thickness defined by an outer diameter and an inner diameter,
wherein the outer diameter is selected to fit in the barrel of the disrupter and the inner diameter is selected to provide a container lumen,
wherein the friction reducing container includes a friction reducing container proximal end that defines a proximal end of the container lumen and configured to face a breech-end portion of the barrel,
wherein the friction reducing container incudes a friction reducing container distal end that defines a distal end of the container lumen and configured to face a muzzle of the barrel,
wherein the friction reducing container includes a highly efficient energy transfer (HEET) fluid at least partially filling the container lumen,
wherein the barrel has a longitudinal length (L B ) and 0.1≤L P /L B ≤1,
wherein the HEET fluid forms a fluid jet having a jet length after exiting the barrel and before a target impact,
wherein the HEET fluid is selected from the group consisting of at least one of water, oil, syrup, ionic solutions, alcohol, a liquid polymer, a pre-polymer, an elastomer-containing liquid, a mechanophore, and a clay, and wherein the HEET fluid further comprises solid particles,
wherein the solid particles are selected from the group consisting of at least one of clay, steel shot, lead shot, plastic beads, sand, metallic microparticles, garnet microparticles, ceramic powder, wood dust, and plastic dust, and
wherein the HEET fluid comprises a syrup and sand mixture.

8. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the container lumen comprises a plurality of fluid zones, and wherein the HEET fluid comprises a plurality of unique HEET fluid compositions with a unique HEET fluid composition contained in each fluid zone.

9. The projectile of claim 8 , further comprising a membrane separating the plurality of fluid zones, wherein the plurality of fluid zones comprise adjacent fluid zones, and wherein the membrane prevents migration of one of the HEET fluid and a constituent thereof between the adjacent fluid zones.

10. The projectile of claim 8 , further comprising a proximal HEET fluid; and a distal HEET fluid, wherein the plurality of fluid zones include a proximal HEET fluid zone and a distal HEET fluid zone, and wherein the proximal HEET fluid positioned in the proximal fluid zone includes one of a higher effective density and an effective viscosity than the distal HEET fluid positioned in the distal fluid zone with one of a comparatively lower effective density and viscosity.

11. The projectile of claim 8 , further comprising a proximal HEET fluid; and a distal HEET fluid, wherein the plurality of fluid zones include a proximal HEET fluid zone and a distal HEET fluid zone, wherein the proximal HEET fluid positioned in the proximal fluid zone includes one of a higher effective density and an effective viscosity than the distal HEET fluid positioned in the distal fluid zone with one of a comparatively lower effective density and viscosity, and wherein the proximal HEET fluid comprises solid particles suspended or dispersed in a fluid.

12. The projectile of claim 8 , further comprising a proximal HEET fluid; and a distal HEET fluid, wherein the plurality of fluid zones include a proximal HEET fluid zone and a distal HEET fluid zone,
wherein the proximal HEET fluid positioned in the proximal fluid zone includes one of a higher effective density and an effective viscosity than the distal HEET fluid positioned in the distal fluid zone with one of a comparatively lower effective density and viscosity,
wherein the proximal HEET fluid comprises solid particles, which are one of suspended and dispersed in a fluid,
wherein the distal HEET fluid comprises at least one of water, syrup, liquid polymer, pre-polymer, elastomer-containing liquid, alcohol, oil, ionic solution, mechanophore, and clay,
wherein the proximal HEET fluid comprises a fluid having a higher effective viscosity than water, and
wherein the solid particles are selected from the group consisting of at least one of clay, steel shot, lead shot, plastic beads, sand, metallic microparticles, garnet microparticles, ceramic powder, wood dust, and plastic dust.

13. The projectile of claim 1 , wherein the HEET fluid Includes at least one fluid property selected to:
increase jet length at impact;
increase jet impact duration;
decrease jet reverse velocity gradient;
decrease atomization;
increase a target penetration depth;
increase a momentum and energy transfer to a target;
increase a volumetric destruction of a target; and
increase stand-off dista

Assignees

• Dept Of The Navy
• Us Navy

Inventors

• Vabnick Ian B
• Quillen Phillip R
• Morefield Eric S
• Ellis Arthur W
• Foltz Lee

Classifications

• F42B33/062 Primary

  by high-pressure water jet means · CPC title

• F41B9/00

  Liquid ejecting guns, e.g. water pistols {, devices ejecting electrically charged liquid jets, devices ejecting liquid jets by explosive pressure} · CPC title

• F41B9/0046 Primary

  Disruptors, i.e. for neutralising explosive devices · CPC title

• F42B33/06

  Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs ({F42B33/004 and} F42B33/04 take precedence; {elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091}) · CPC title