Self-Clearing Electrode Active Armor for Fighting Vehicles
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing active armor systems are inefficient in providing an electrical field exterior to a vehicle's armored hull to protect against multiple incoming projectiles, as they often result in permanent short circuits and failure to initiate current flow effectively.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of self-clearing electrode systems with equidistantly spaced electrode plates, energy storage capacitors, and fusible links or initiator networks to ensure early initiation of current flow and prevent short circuits, allowing the system to recharge and defend against subsequent threats.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional electrode systems are used in active armor, then the system can provide electrical field protection, but the system suffers from permanent short circuits and failure to initiate current flow effectively
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode system is divided into multiple independent electrode plates rather than using a continuous electrode structure. This segmentation allows the system to isolate short circuit effects to individual plates, preventing system-wide failure and enabling other plates to continue functioning during combat operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The electrode plates are designed with variable electrical parameters including different thicknesses, materials, and spacing configurations. This allows optimization of current flow characteristics and electrical field strength while managing short circuit risks through parameter variation across different plates.
2Strength
If electrode plates are positioned closer together to enhance electrical field strength, then protection effectiveness increases, but the risk of short circuits and system failure increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the electrode system into multiple plates, the design enables closer spacing to achieve higher electrical field strength while isolating potential short circuit failures to individual plates rather than affecting the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates protective measures in advance by designing electrode plates with self-clearing capabilities and positioning them to allow plasma channel formation without direct contact, cushioning against the harmful effects of short circuits before they can propagate.
3Loss of time
If the system uses complex initiation mechanisms to ensure early current flow, then protection timing improves, but the system complexity and failure points increase
Solution Approach 1:
The electrode plates are pre-positioned and pre-charged with electrical energy before combat engagement. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex initiation mechanisms during actual threats, as the system is already in a state ready to immediately discharge current when plasma channels form.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses the incoming plasma channel from the shaped charge projectile itself as the initiation mechanism. The plasma automatically creates the electrical connection between electrode plates, eliminating the need for external initiation systems and reducing complexity while achieving rapid current flow.
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 self-clearing electrode system effectively disrupts plasma penetrators, minimizes damage, and enables the active armor system to rearm quickly, enhancing its ability to protect against multiple incoming projectiles by preventing short circuits and ensuring timely current initiation.
Implementation Method 1
the capacitor is discharged through the plasma jet
Implementation Method 2
a third layer, preferably positioned adjacent to and on the inner side of the first layer, that is comprised of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or a magnetostrictive material... capable of producing an electrical or magnetic field within the space
Implementation Method 3
comprised of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or a magnetostrictive material. The third layer is selected so as to be capable of producing an electrical or magnetic field within the space in response to the application of mechanical force on this third layer
Implementation Method 4
comprised of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or a magnetostrictive material
Implementation Method 5
comprised of a piezoelectric material, an electrostrictive material, or a magnetostrictive material
Data Source
AI summary
An improvement in an electric armor system designed to prevent, among other things, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) from penetrating the hull of a fighting vehicle. The system includes a self-clearing electrode that will make the system less vulnerable to non-plasma objects that might otherwise short out the active armor electrodes. It optionally further allows for the early initiation of current flow at the point of penetration making it even easier to defeat incoming threats by allowing more time to break-up an incoming plasma jet.