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Abstract

A high pressure pulsed gas source for accelerating a projectile along a gun barrel comprises a structure including a high voltage electrode for establishing axial electrical discharges in corresponding axial gaps behind an outlet where the projectile is located. Plasma flows at right angles to the discharges into a propellant mass that is converted into a high pressure component of the gas pulse. The gaps are arranged so that after the projectile moves away from its initial position and is in the barrel, power applied to the plasma via gaps close to the outlet is greater than power applied to the plasma via gaps farther from the outlet. To avoid damage to the gun, the gaps are arranged so power applied to the plasma is substantially the same in the discharges when plasma is initially produced. The gaps include walls that are eroded differently by the discharges so gap walls close to the outlet erode faster than gap walls farther from the outlet. The propellant mass includes a solid fuel and an oxidizer that do not react at ambient conditions. A portion of the fuel abuts the structure and the fuel and oxidizer are vaporized and elevated to a sufficiently high temperature by the plasma as to produce an exothermic chemical reaction resulting in derivation of the high pressure gas pulse that is supplied to the projectile. The axial gaps are arranged so that the power applied to the plasma via gaps close to the projectile causes initial vaporization of the fuel closest to the projectile prior to vaporization of the fuel farther from the projectile and progressive vaporization of the fuel farther from the projectile.

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First Claim