Supply Module for High Energy Laser Weapon Systems
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Solution Overview
Problem
High energy laser weapon systems face challenges in cooling and power supply due to the need for heavy, bulky equipment and limited usage time caused by battery recharging and coolant re-cooling, making them unsuitable for mobile operation.
Innovation Solution
A supply module comprising an electric storage device with high specific power and a thermal storage device using latent heat accumulators, allowing for quick and efficient transfer of electrical energy and coolant to the weapon system via interchangeable connections, enabling extended operation without the need for large, heavy supply devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If electric storage batteries and large cooling units are used to supply high energy laser weapon systems, then the system can operate for extended periods, but the supply devices become extremely heavy and bulky, making mobile operation impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The supply system is divided into separate functional modules: electric storage batteries for power supply and a thermal storage device with coolant for cooling. These modules can be independently sized and optimized, allowing the weapon system to operate for extended periods without requiring a single oversized integrated supply device, thereby reducing overall weight and enabling mobile deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
Energy and cooling capacity are stored in advance in the electric storage batteries and thermal storage device. This preliminary storage allows the weapon system to operate for extended periods without requiring large, heavy real-time power generation and cooling equipment, thus reducing the weight of the mobile supply device while maintaining long usage time.
2Power
If electric storage batteries are used to supply high energy laser weapon systems, then the system can operate temporarily, but after about one minute of operation, a recharging period of around 15 minutes is required, severely limiting usage time
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses rechargeable electric storage batteries that can be rapidly recharged during brief intervals between weapon system operations. The stored electrical energy is discharged during weapon operation, then recovered during short recharging periods, maximizing the effective usage time while minimizing idle recharging time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs high-power electric storage batteries with optimized discharge and charge rates, changing the electrical parameters to enable rapid energy transfer. This allows the batteries to be recharged in approximately 15 minutes after one minute of operation, significantly improving the duty cycle and reducing the percentage of time lost to recharging.
3Power
If diode-pumped solid state lasers with efficiency of around 20% are used, then high energy laser radiation can be generated, but a very high cooling capacity of 80% of electrical power is required, posing considerable cooling challenges
Solution Approach 1:
The thermal storage device utilizes a coolant that undergoes phase transition (e.g., from liquid to solid or between liquid phases) at a defined phase transition temperature. This phase change absorbs or releases large amounts of latent heat, enabling the coolant to absorb the 80% waste heat from the laser while maintaining stable temperature, thus simplifying the cooling system design for mobile deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the thermal parameters of the coolant by selecting a substance with appropriate phase transition temperature and latent heat properties. This allows the coolant to efficiently absorb the high thermal load from the laser while maintaining temperature stability, reducing the complexity of active temperature control systems in mobile applications.
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 solution provides a lightweight, compact, and easily interchangeable power and cooling system that extends the usage time of high energy laser weapon systems, enabling continuous operation and rapid recharging/replacement of spent modules, thus overcoming the limitations of prior art systems.
Implementation Method 1
an electric storage device (2) designed for storing electrical energy over a long period
Implementation Method 2
a thermal storage device (3) configured for storing a coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A supply module for supplying a weapon system includes an electric storage device and a thermal storage device that stores coolant. The supply module also includes at least one electrical connection via which power can be transferred from the electric storage device to the effector system, and at least one thermal connection via which the coolant can be transferred from the thermal storage device to the effector system.