Segmented Plate Capacitors for Electrical Armor Response
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electrical armor systems are ineffective in quickly reacting to shaped charge jets due to slow current rise rates, which allows the front of the jet to penetrate without sufficient interference, and they require a central capacitor that occupies space and complicates design.
Innovation Solution
Divide the capacitance of a central capacitor into multiple plate capacitors arranged one behind the other, with dielectric ceramics between plates, allowing for rapid short-circuiting of each capacitor as the shaped charge jet penetrates, reducing inductance and slew rate, and enabling earlier interaction with the jet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If a central capacitor is used in electrical armor systems, then the system can store sufficient energy, but the current rise rate is slow due to inductance, allowing the front of the shaped charge jet to penetrate without sufficient interference
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single central capacitor into multiple smaller capacitors arranged in series between successive protective plates. This segmentation reduces the inductance of each capacitor's circuit path, enabling faster current rise rates when the shaped charge jet short-circuits the capacitors. The segmented arrangement allows the system to respond more quickly to the incoming jet while maintaining the necessary energy storage capacity through the series configuration.
2Use of energy by moving object
If a central capacitor is used in electrical armor systems, then energy storage is sufficient, but the system complexity and space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The central capacitor is segmented into multiple smaller capacitors distributed between successive protective plates. This segmentation reduces space requirements by eliminating the need for a single large central capacitor housing, and simplifies the system structure by integrating the capacitors into the existing plate arrangement. The series configuration maintains the total energy storage capacity while distributing the physical footprint across multiple locations.
3Loss of time
If plate spacing is reduced to improve response time, then the reaction to shaped charge jet is earlier, but the capacitance value decreases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the total capacitance into multiple smaller capacitors, the patent can reduce the plate spacing for each individual capacitor, thereby reducing the inductance and improving the response time. The series arrangement of multiple capacitors maintains the total capacitance value needed for sufficient energy storage, even though each individual capacitor has smaller capacitance due to reduced spacing.
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
This configuration enables earlier reaction to the shaped charge jet, reduces penetration effectiveness, and eliminates the need for a central capacitor, resulting in a lighter, more modular and efficient protection system with improved response to shaped charge threats.
Implementation Method 1
The capacitor discharges the circuit, which causes a strong magnetic field to form around the waveguide beam due to the high current
Implementation Method 2
The capacitor discharges the circuit, which causes a strong magnetic field to form around the waveguide beam due to the high current, which in turn acts on the charged particles of the shaped charge beam in the form of strong forces
Implementation Method 3
In order to increase the capacitance, it has been shown to be advantageous in a further development of the idea if dielectric ceramics are integrated between the individual plates of the capacitors
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
The protective module has sequentially arranged and/or superposed plates (P1-Pn) for forming distributed capacitances on stationary or movable objects, where the protective module is sub-divided into a set of protective part modules. The protective part modules are connected to each other. Dielectric ceramics are provided between individual plates of the plates. Charging voltages (Uo) are supplied by capacitors (C1-Cn). The capacitors are centrally arranged in the protective module for distribution of the capacitances.