Fmc Corporation

United Defense LP

Mark E Schneider

Steven R Zelenak

Steven M French

John S Lindblom

Steven R Stricker

Charalampos D Marinos

Amir Chaboki

Chris S Sorenson

Dennis Borgwarth

James P Warren

Chris S Sorensen

Michael R Triviski

This disclosure relates to a plasma generation device particularly adapted to an electrothermal-chemical propulsion system. The device comprises a membranous conductive substance having structural compositions which enable the formation of a continuous and volumetrically distributed, segmentally varied plasma arc. The membranous substance is versatile and operates, inter alia, as a fuse wire, plasma incubator, plasma container, plasma distributor, plasma infusion and permeation media as well as a fuel container.

Annular plasma injector

This disclosure relates to a plasma generation device particularly adapted to an electrothermal-chemical propulsion system. The device comprises a membranous conductive substance having structural compositions which enable the formation of a continuous and volumetrically distributed plasma arc. The membranous substance is versatile and operates, inter alia, as a fuse wire, plasma incubator, plasma container, plasma distributor, plasma infusion and permeation media as well as a fuel container.

The method and apparatus disclosed herein relates to harnessing plasma to ignite, pressurize and distribute plasma, plasma-ignited chemical fluid and fuel throughout a propellant mass. Particularly, the present invention enables the creation of a progressive burning surface whereby the propellant reaches maximum pressure controllably and losses pressure much more slowly thus creating high piezometric efficiency. More particularly, in gun-charge-projectile systems, by using radial perforations designed to provide a balanced plasma discharge through a capillary wall and by developing forward accelerating thrust components, induced by the plasma pressure on a plasma-ignited chemical fluid and fuel mixture, the propelling charge travels down the gun tube with the projectile thus exerting substantial uniform pressure throughout the tube length and yielding a high ballistic efficiency which results in the attainment of high muzzle velocities.

Plasma actuated ignition and distribution pump

The apparatus and method disclosed herein relates to the generation of primary and fuel-enriched plasma to provide ignition and delivery for large amounts of electrical and electrothermal power to a propellant mass. Particularly, the present invention enables the creation of zones of controlled combustion by initially incubating primary plasma in a capillary chamber and mixing the primary plasma with fuel in a fuel chamber thus creating a fuel-enriched plasma. The primary plasma and the fuel-enriched plasma are segregatively, collectively and substantially simultaneously injected into the propellant mass via outlet ports and nozzles. The capillary and fuel chambers, and the nozzles and outlet ports undergo staged disintegration at reaching predetermined pressures and temperatures and are thereby consumed in the combustion process.

Disintegrating injector for primary and fuel enriched plasma

The apparatus and method disclosed herein relates to axially aligned electrical contacts which connect a high electrical power pulse forming network to an electrothermal ammunition integrated plasma injector in a combustion augmented plasma gun for launching projectiles thereof. The contacts transfer high energy, intermittent pulses without arcing because structure provides for axially preloading the contacts to reduce contact resistance, for axially stiffening the contacts to eliminate contact bounce and for providing complementary conical contact surfaces to facilitate a high current density transfer.

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Vadnais Heights, MN, United States of America

Mark E Schneider