Repeatable plasma generator and a method therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9377261-B2
Application number	US-201113993585-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 30, 2011
Priority date	Dec 15, 2010
Publication date	Jun 28, 2016
Grant date	Jun 28, 2016

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for repeatable ignition of propellant charges in a weapon system, e.g. for firing shells from a barrel weapon, through electrical discharge in a combustion chamber duct ( 3 ) containing a combustion chamber substance ( 30 ), wherein the filling gas in the combustion chamber duct ( 3 ) is ionized by the high-voltage potential applied to the ionizing electrode ( 7 ), which is connected to a first high-voltage generator ( 2 ), thus increasing the electrical conduction capacity in the combustion chamber duct ( 3 ) such that an electrical sparkover through electrical discharge via a second high-voltage generator ( 5 ) between a rear electrode ( 22 ) and a front electrode ( 21 ) is generated and produces an effect, with subsequent ionization of the surface of the combustion chamber substance ( 30 ), which causes hot gas in a plasma-like state to be expelled from the combustion chamber duct ( 3 ). The invention also concerns a plasma generator therefor, and an ammunition unit containing said plasma generator.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. Plasma generator for repeatable ignition of propellant charges in a weapon system through electrical discharge in a combustion chamber enclosure containing a combustion chamber duct and a combustion chamber substance configured in connection with a combustion charge, wherein the plasma generator contains an ionization electrode connected to a first high-voltage generator for ionization of a filling gas in the combustion chamber duct for producing an electrically conductive gas and a front electrode connected to an electrical ground and a rear electrode electrically connected to a second high-voltage generator configured for electrical discharge in the electrically conductive gas so that hot ignition gas is formed under high pressure.

2. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical discharge from the second high-voltage generator takes place when the conduction capacity in the combustion chamber duct is sufficient to generate electrical sparkover.

3. Plasma generator according to claim 2 , wherein ionization of the combustion chamber substance is synchronized with the electrical discharge from the second high-temperature generator so that the electrical discharge via the second high-voltage generator does not take place until the ionization voltage reaches its voltage maximum or 100 μβ before or after the voltage maximum calculated from the voltage maximum.

4. Plasma generator according to claim 2 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance-, with the ionizing electrode being electrically insulated from the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

5. Plasma generator according to claim 2 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance, with the ionizing electrode being in open contact against the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

6. Plasma generator according to claim 2 , wherein the rear electrode configured at the rear end of the combustion chamber duct is electrically connected to the other high-voltage generator, in that there is a front electrode configured at the front end of the combustion chamber duct, said back and front electrodes being composed of an electrically conductive material, and in that that a gas outlet that leads out towards the propellant charge is configured in the front electrode.

7. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein ionization of the combustion chamber substance is synchronized with the electrical discharge from the second high-temperature generator so that the electrical discharge via the second high-voltage generator does not take place until the ionization voltage reaches its voltage maximum or 100 μβ before or after the voltage maximum calculated from the voltage maximum.

8. Plasma generator according to claim 7 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance, with the ionizing electrode being electrically insulated from the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

9. Plasma generator according to claim 7 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance, with the ionizing electrode being in open contact against the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

10. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance, with the ionizing electrode being electrically insulated from the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

11. Plasma generator according to claim 10 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance, with the ionizing electrode being in open contact against the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

12. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the ionizing electrode is solidly configured on the combustion chamber substance, with the ionizing electrode being in open contact against the combustion chamber duct and electrically connected to the first high-voltage generator via a passage that is electrically insulated from the combustion chamber enclosure.

13. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the rear electrode configured at the rear end of the combustion chamber duct is electrically connected to the other high-voltage generator, in that there is a front electrode configured at the front end of the combustion chamber duct, said back and front electrodes being composed of an electrically conductive material, and in that that a gas outlet that leads out towards the propellant charge is configured in the front electrode.

14. Plasma generator according to claim 13 wherein the gas outlet is conical.

15. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the combustion chamber substance is tubular and contains a polymer material having a resistivity exceeding 100 ohm-meters.

16. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the combustion chamber substance is divided into several layers.

17. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the combustion chamber substance contains a mixture of polymer and metallic material.

18. Plasma generator according to claim 1 , wherein the rear electrode configured at the rear end of the combustion chamber duct is electrically connected to the other high-voltage generator, in that there is a front electrode configured at the front end of the combustion chamber duct, said back and front electrodes being composed of an electrically conductive material, and in that that a gas outlet that leads out towards the propellant charge is configured in the front electrode.

19. Ammunition unit containing a shell casing, a projectile, a propellant charge, and an ignition device wherein said ignition device comprises a plasma generator according to claim 1 .

Assignees

• Aberg Denny
• Olsson Fredrik
• Bae Systems Bofors Ab

Inventors

• Aberg Denny
• Olsson Fredrik

Classifications

• H05H1/52

  using exploding wires or spark gaps (H05H1/26 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F41A19/60

  characterised by the means for generating electric energy · CPC title

• F42B5/08

  modified for electric ignition · CPC title

• F41A19/63 Primary

  having means for contactless transmission of electric energy, e.g. by induction, by sparking gap · CPC title

• F42B3/14

  Spark initiators {(F42B3/195 takes precedence)} · CPC title