Jet Stabilizing Projectile for Fluid Jet Disrupter
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Fluid jets, particularly water jets, used in explosive ordnance disposal, face limitations due to rapid dispersion and atomization, reducing their effectiveness and reliability in disrupting improvised explosive devices (IEDs) across various conditions.
Innovation Solution
The development of fluid jet stabilizing projectiles (JSPs) that reduce hydrodynamic and aerodynamic stresses during flight and interaction with targets, enhancing the stability and penetration of fluid jets by interacting with the projectile liquid to form a stable fluid jet, thereby improving stand-off distance and target penetration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a fluid jet is used to disrupt IEDs, then the risk of shock-initiated explosion is reduced and the jet acts on the target for a longer duration, but the fluid jet rapidly disperses and atomizes, reducing its length, mass, and momentum transfer effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
A stabilizing projectile is introduced as an intermediary object between the fluid jet and the target. This projectile interacts with the fluid jet during flight, stabilizing it and preventing rapid dispersion and atomization. The stabilizing projectile serves as a mediator that maintains the structural integrity of the fluid jet over longer distances while still allowing it to deliver momentum and energy to the target IED.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the physical parameters of the fluid jet system by introducing a stabilizing projectile that modifies the jet's flight characteristics. This interaction alters parameters such as jet coherence, momentum distribution, and flight stability, enabling the jet to maintain its effective length and mass concentration over longer distances without premature atomization.
2Strength
If a solid projectile is used, then tougher casing materials can be penetrated, but the solid projectile has limited duration of action and higher risk of initiating explosive due to shock
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the advantages of both solid and fluid projectiles by combining a stabilizing projectile (solid) with a fluid jet. The stabilizing projectile provides the structural integrity and penetration capability similar to solid projectiles, while the fluid jet component maintains prolonged contact with the target, delivering sustained energy transfer. This hybrid approach achieves both penetration of tough casing and extended duration of action.
3Reliability
If the fluid jet is fired from disrupter, then it can disrupt IED components, but materials positioned between disrupter and target substantially affect the fluid jet, decreasing momentum and energy
Solution Approach 1:
The stabilizing projectile acts as an intermediary that protects the fluid jet from adverse interactions with environmental materials during flight. By stabilizing the jet's trajectory and preventing premature dispersion, the stabilizing projectile reduces energy loss that would otherwise occur from interactions with air and other materials, ensuring that more momentum and energy are delivered to the target IED.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The JSPs significantly enhance the reliability and effectiveness of fluid jets by maintaining a stable fluid jet, reducing the risk of shock-initiated explosions and improving penetration through various materials, doubling barrier thickness limits and increasing penetration depth by up to 20%.
Implementation Method 1
The JSP addresses such challenges by reducing hydrodynamic and aerodynamic stresses experienced by the fluid-jet during its trajectory toward a target
Implementation Method 2
The JSP addresses such challenges by reducing hydrodynamic and aerodynamic stresses experienced by the fluid-jet during its trajectory toward a target
Implementation Method 3
A significant limitation of fluid jets, particularly of water jets, is that they can rapidly disperse and break up into a cloud of droplets, referred to as atomization, as a result of the combination of dynamic forces acting upon the water jets
Implementation Method 4
a jet of water has considerable mass and momentum and acts upon the target explosive for a longer duration than does a solid 'slug' projectile
Implementation Method 5
increased momentum and energy transfer to the target
Implementation Method 6
The interaction of the JSP with the fluid jet provides a stabilizing effect on the fluid jet, as described herein
Data Source
AI summary
A propellant driven disrupter (PDD) for disrupting an explosive target, comprising: a disrupter barrel having a breech and muzzle end; a projectile liquid or gas positioned in the barrel and extending a longitudinal distance in the disrupter barrel. The projectile liquid distal end is located farthest from the disrupter barrel breech end. A jet stabilizing projectile (JSP) is at least partially positioned in the barrel and operably contacts the projectile liquid distal end. The JSP has a JSP proximal end facing toward the disrupter barrel breech end and a distal end opposed to the JSP proximal end, wherein some or all of the JSP is positioned in the barrel. The PDD may contain the JSP, with an air region between the JSP distal end and the muzzle end, or an air region in an adapter that is connected to the muzzle end. Also provided are JSP's having improved flight stability for use with liquid or air-filled disrupters and methods of disrupting a target.