A singlet-delta oxygen generator suitable for use in a COIL-type chemical laser system is provided wherein the generator has a gaseous reactant distributor which includes (a) side, top and bottom walls to form a distribution chamber; (b) a thin distribution plate disposed vertically within one of the side walls adjacent to the falling droplet zone, the distribution plate having a plurality of holes to allow the passage of gaseous first reactant therethrough; (c) a plurality of gaseous first reactant inlet openings for allowing the influx of gaseous first reactant into the distribution chamber; and (d) a liquid drain disposed in the bottom wall. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gaseous reactant inlet openings are conduits which direct the influx of gaseous first reactant away from the distribution plate. The invention allows that (i) gaseous first reactant can be flowed into the distribution chamber via the gaseous reactant inlet openings in a manner such that the distribution of gaseous reactant within the distribution chamber is substantially uniform, (ii) the gaseous first reactant can be allowed to flow laterally through the holes in the distribution plate and into droplets of the liquid second reactant falling downwardly within the falling droplet zone, and (iii) any liquid entering the distribution chamber can be promptly drained away via the liquid drain.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates generally to chemical lasers and, more particularly, 
to singlet-delta oxygen generators used in chemical oxygen iodine lasers. 
BACKGROUND 
Chemical laser systems are known to have the capability of generating high 
energy laser beams. One particular chemical laser system is a system which 
employs the chemical interaction of singlet-delta oxygen and iodine. Such 
a chemical oxygen iodine laser is commonly known as a "COIL". COILs are 
particularly suitable for weapon systems, such as anti-theater ballistic 
missile system, because of their range and their ability to control a high 
intensity beam to a target, such as a theater ballistic missile. The basic 
chemistry of a COIL system is well-known in the art. 
To produce singlet-delta oxygen, COILS typically employ a singlet-delta 
oxygen generator wherein chlorine gas is reacted with basic hydrogen 
peroxide to produce singlet-delta oxygen. In one such singlet-delta oxygen 
generator, basic hydrogen peroxide is formed into uniform tiny droplets 
which are allowed to gravitate downward in a falling droplet zone. 
Chlorine gas is introduced laterally into the falling droplet zone wherein 
the chlorine reacts with the basic hydrogen peroxide to form singlet-delta 
oxygen molecules. 
One problem with such singlet-delta oxygen generators arises from the 
non-uniform distribution of chlorine into the falling droplet zone. When 
the distribution of chlorine into the falling droplet zone is non-uniform, 
the efficiency of the overall production of singlet-delta oxygen is 
markedly reduced. Maintaining the uniformity of chlorine gas flow into the 
falling droplet zone has been found to be very important in maintaining a 
high rate of singlet-delta oxygen production. 
Another problem with such singlet-delta oxygen generators of the type 
described above arises when some of the falling basic hydrogen peroxide 
droplets splash back into the chlorine distribution equipment. This 
results in a slow, but steady build-up of liquid materials in the chlorine 
distribution equipment which also adversely affects the efficiency of the 
generator. 
Accordingly, there is a need for a singlet-delta oxygen generator which 
simply and inexpensively overcomes these problems. 
SUMMARY 
The invention satisfies this need. The invention is a singlet-delta oxygen 
generator of the type wherein a gaseous first reactant, such as chlorine, 
is reacted with falling droplets of a liquid second reactant, such as 
basic hydrogen peroxide, in a falling droplet zone. The invention 
comprises the use in such a generator of a gaseous reactant distributor 
comprising (a) side, top and bottom walls to form a distribution chamber; 
(b) a thin distribution plate disposed vertically within one of the side 
walls adjacent to the falling droplet zone, the distribution plate having 
a plurality of holes to allow the passage of gaseous first reactant 
therethrough; (c) a plurality of gaseous first reactant inlet openings for 
allowing the influx of gaseous first reactant into the distribution 
chamber; and (d) a liquid drain disposed in the bottom wall. 
Using the a gaseous reactant distributor of the invention allows gaseous 
first reactant to be flowed into the distribution chamber via the gaseous 
reactant inlet openings in a manner such that the distribution of gaseous 
reactant within the distribution chamber is substantially uniform. The 
gaseous first reactant can then be allowed to flow laterally through the 
holes in the distribution plate and into droplets of the liquid second 
reactant falling downwardly within the falling droplet zone. Any liquid 
entering the distribution chamber can be promptly drained away via the 
liquid drain. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the gaseous first reactant 
inlet openings comprise a plurality of conduits which direct the flow of 
gaseous first reactant entering the distribution chamber to impinge upon a 
wall of the distribution chamber disposed opposite the distribution plate. 
In another preferred embodiment of the invention, each hole in the 
distribution plate has an impingement plate disposed immediately 
downstream of and opposite such hole. Each such impingement plate is 
typically between about 50 and 80% of the area of the hole. Preferably, 
each impingement plate is disposed at a distance between about 1.1 and 
about 1.5 cm in front of the hole.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
The following discussion describes in detail one embodiment of the 
invention and several variations of that embodiment. This discussion 
should not be construed, however, as limiting the invention to those 
particular embodiments. Practitioners skilled in the art will recognize 
numerous other embodiments as well. 
FIG. 1 illustrates a chemical oxygen-iodine laser ("COIL") 1 useable in the 
invention. The COIL 1 includes a singlet-delta oxygen generator 2, a 
photon generator 3 and a pressure recovery system 4. 
In the singlet-delta oxygen generator 2, singlet-delta oxygen is produced 
from the reaction of a gaseous first reactant 5, typically a halogen gas 
such as chlorine, and a second reactant 6 typically basic hydrogen 
peroxide. Typically, the gaseous first reactant 5 is introduced into the 
singlet-delta oxygen generator 2 in a mixture with an inert gas, such as 
helium. 
Singlet-delta oxygen 7 produced in the singlet-delta oxygen generator 2 
flows through a water trap 8, preferably comprising a falling droplet 
field 9 of chilled basic hydrogen peroxide continuously recycled with a 
pump 10 and through a chiller 11 and a droplet generator 12. 
The singlet-delta oxygen 7 then flows out of the singlet-delta oxygen 
generator 2 via an outlet 13 in the singlet-delta oxygen generator 2 to 
the photon generator 3 where it is reacted with iodine 14 to produce a 
high energy laser beam (not shown). 
Reactant products exiting the photon generator 3 are drawn through the 
pressure recovery system 4, comprising a diffuser 15 and an ejector 16, 
and exhausted to the atmosphere. 
The invention is a singlet-delta oxygen generator 2 of the type shown in 
FIG. 1 wherein a gaseous first reactant 5 is reacted with a liquid second 
reactant 6 which is continuously recycled from a falling droplet zone 21 
with a pump 17 through a chiller 18 and a droplet generator 19. In the 
invention, the singlet-delta oxygen generator 2 comprises a gaseous 
reactant distributor 20 having the unique features shown in FIGS. 5-8. 
The gaseous reactant distributor 20 has side, top and bottom walls 22, 24 
and 26, respectively, to form a distribution chamber 28. A thin 
distribution plate 30, such as one having a thickness less than about one 
half centimeter, is disposed vertically within one of the side walls 22 
adjacent to the falling droplet zone 21 of the singlet-delta oxygen 
generator 2. 
The liquid second reactant 6 is introduced into the falling droplet zone 21 
at inlets 32 in the bottom of the droplet generator 19. The introduction 
of the second reactant 6 is done in a way which produces droplets of 
second reactant 6, preferably droplets of highly uniform dimensions. In 
one embodiment described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,988, the entirety of which 
is incorporated herein by this reference, more than about 95% of the 
droplets have a nominal diameter between about 300 and about 400 microns. 
The gaseous first reactant 5 is introduced through the distribution plate 
30 into the falling droplet zone 21 in a lateral direction transverse to 
the droplets falling within the falling droplet zone 21. 
The distribution plate 30 has a plurality of holes 34 to allow the passage 
of the first reactant 5 therethrough. The holes 34 are sized and 
dimensioned to allow for the uniform flow of the gaseous first reactant 5 
into the falling droplet zone 21. In a typical embodiment, the holes 34 in 
the distribution plate are round, having a diameter of between about 0.5 
and about 0.8 cm. The number of holes 34 in the distribution plate 30 is 
chosen to provide uniform flow of gaseous first reactant 5 into the 
falling droplet zone 21. In a typical embodiment, the number of holes 34 
within the distribution plate 30 is between about 0.4 and about 0.8 holes 
per sq. cm of distribution plate 30. 
In one embodiment, the distribution plate 30 is approximately 10 cm by 
about 50 cm and is designed to provide a distribution of gaseous first 
reactant 5 through the holes 34 in the distribution plate 30 with a 
pressure differential of between about 1 and about 2 psi. 
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, small impingement plates 36 are 
placed in front of each hole 34 in the distribution plate 30. Typically, 
each impingement plate 36 provides an area immediately opposite its 
corresponding hole 34 of between about 50 and about 80% of the area of the 
hole 34. Where the hole 34 is round and the impingement plate 36 is 
rectangular, the width of the impingement plate 36 can be about one half 
the diameter of the hole 34. 
The impingement plates 36 are disposed in front of each hole 34 (downstream 
of the distribution plate 30) at a distance between about 1.1 and about 
1.4 cm away from the distribution plate 30). 
The impingement plates 36 provide for additional distribution uniformity of 
the gaseous first reactant 5 as it enters the falling droplet zone 21. The 
impingement plates 36 also tend to minimize the amount of liquid second 
reactant 6 from flashing back through the holes 34 in the distribution 
plate 30 and into the distribution chamber 28. 
A plurality of gaseous reactant inlet openings 38 are provided in the 
gaseous reactant distributor 20 to allow the influx to gaseous first 
reactant 5 into the distributor chamber 28. The number and configuration 
of the gaseous reactant inlet openings 38 are chosen to provide for a 
relatively uniform distribution of gaseous first reactant 5 within the 
distribution chamber 28. Preferably, the gaseous reactant inlet openings 
38 are conduits 40, such as shown in FIG. 5, which direct the incoming 
flow of gaseous first reactant 5 away from the distribution plate 30. In a 
still more preferred embodiment of the invention, the conduits 40 direct 
the flow of gaseous first reactant 5 to impinge upon a wall 42 opposite 
the distribution plate 30. In a typical example of such an embodiment, the 
wall 42 opposite the distribution plate 30 is disposed between about 1 and 
about 3 cm away from the distribution plate 30. The use of such gaseous 
reactant inlet conduits 40 provides for the further uniform flow of 
gaseous first reactant 5 through the distribution plate 30. Where the 
gaseous reactant inlet openings 38 are disposed so as to face a 
distribution plate 30, gaseous first reactant 5 has a tendency to flow 
directly to and through the holes 34 in the distribution plate 30, rather 
than first uniformly filling the distribution chamber 28. 
A liquid drain 44 is disposed in the bottom wall 26 of the distribution 
chamber 28. The liquid drain 44 is typically an opening connected in fluid 
tight communication with a suitable liquid repository (not shown) for 
recycle to the falling droplet zone 21. 
The invention allows for the gaseous first reactant 5 to be flowed into the 
distribution chamber 28 via the gaseous reactant inlet openings 38 in a 
manner such as the distribution of gaseous first reactant 5 within the 
distribution chamber 28 is substantially uniform. The gaseous first 
reactant 5 can then be allowed to flow unilaterally through the holes 34 
in the distribution plate 30 and into droplets of the liquid second 
reactant 6 falling downwardly within the falling droplet zone 21. Any 
liquid entering the distribution chamber 28, such as by splashing 
backwards through the holes 34 in the distribution plate 30, can be 
promptly drained away via the liquid drain 44. 
The gaseous reactant distributor 20 can be constructed of any suitable 
material compatible with weight, temperature, pressure and corrosion 
restraints. In many applications of the invention, most of the gaseous 
reactant distributor 20 components can be constructed of a suitable 
plastic, such as polyvinyl chloride. 
The gaseous reactant generator 20 of the invention, as illustrated in FIGS. 
5-8, is contrasted with a typical gaseous reactant generator 50 of the 
prior art, as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4. In such a gaseous reactant 
generator 50 of the prior art, the distribution of gaseous first reactant 
5 is accomplished by flowing gaseous first reactant 5 from a distribution 
chamber 52 through a series of short tubes 54. The problem with this 
configuration arises when some of the droplets in the falling droplet zone 
21 splash into the tubes 54, thereby causing a slow build-up of liquid 
within the tubes 54. If the amount of splash is excessive, liquid can 
actually flow backwards in the tube 54 and into the distribution chamber 
52. In all cases, any liquid splashing backward into the tubes 54 and/or 
into the distribution chamber 52 has no place to go but to be eventually 
expelled outwardly through the tubes 54 into the falling droplet zone 21. 
This periodic spewing of liquid through the tubes 54 into the falling 
droplet zone 21 has been found to greatly decrease the efficiency of the 
production of singlet-delta oxygen gaseous first reactant and the second 
reactant within the falling droplet zone 21. 
Having thus described the invention, it should be apparent that numerous 
structural modifications and adaptations may be resorted to without 
departing from the scope and fair meaning of the instant invention as set 
forth hereinabove and as described hereinbelow by the claims.