Propellent medium for hybrid weapon

A propellent medium for a barreled weapon with electrically-supported liquid propulsion, especially for chemical-electrical hybrid drives with regenerative propellent medium injection. Organic compounds of a combination of carbon and hydrogen are contemplated in a ratio with one or more reactive groups which, with a good exothermic reaction of the propellent medium (hydrocarbon), will facilitate the dissociation of molecules or atoms of lower molecular mass. Hereby, a propellent medium component can be formed from charged hydrocarbon ring systems including reactive groups.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a propellent medium for a barreled weapon 
with electrically-supported liquid propulsion, especially for 
chemical-electrical hybrid drives with regenerative propellent medium 
injection. 
As is well known with regard to electro-thermal weapons, an electric arc is 
ignited through the applying of a voltage to the electrodes of a plasma 
burner, wherein the electric arc vaporizes material which is introduced 
between the electrodes; for example, such as polyethylene, and heats the 
material into a plasma generating high pressures. The acceleration of the 
projectile is implemented through the pressure of this heated plasma. 
The electrical energy for the acceleration of the projectile, in the 
instance of the electro-thermal projectile drive, is not directly 
converted into kinetic energy, but first through the indirect path of the 
energetic intermediate form constituted of thermal energy. A prerequisite 
for the attainment of a high degree of efficiency during the conversion of 
the electrical or essentially electromagnetic energy into kinetic energy, 
consequently, in the first instance is the effective generation of the 
plasma through thermal energy. 
1 2. Discussion of the Prior Art 
In the utilization of inert materials; for example, such as polyethylene, 
for the generating of a highly-charged plasma, these materials must be 
initially vaporized through the action of the electric arc within the 
plasma burner, and then thermally split into radicals such that, after the 
dissociation of the later, there is primarily a presence of carbon and 
hydrogen. This signifies that a quite appreciable quantity of the utilized 
electrical energy must be expended for the dissociation of the inert 
material, as a result of which the degree of efficiency is adversely 
influenced. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a 
propellent medium of the above-mentioned type in which by means of 
supplemental energy which is available largely independently of the 
utilized electrical energy, the degree of efficiency is substantially 
increased through an exothermic, chemical reaction sequence and the demand 
for electrical energy is significantly lowered. 
The foregoing object is inventively achieved in that organic compounds of a 
combination of carbon and hydrogen are contemplated in a ratio with one or 
more reactive groups which, with a good exothermic reaction of the 
propellent medium (hydrocarbon), will facilitate the dissociation of 
molecules or atoms of lower molecular mass. Hereby, a propellent medium 
component can be formed from charged hydrocarbon ring systems including 
reactive groups. 
Whereas, for the conversion of polyethylene or the like inert materials, 
there must be continually supplied electrical energy for their 
vaporization and dissociation in order to generate a plasma, the 
employment of reactive liquid propellent media affords the advantage that 
subsequent to the coupling in of a certain activating energy, because of 
the exothermic reaction capability of the propellent there can be obtained 
an additional chemical energy excess. 
Thus, largely independently of the utilized electrical energy, there is 
obtained a supplemental energy through a chemical reaction sequence. 
Moreover, there can be employed substances which dissociate more readily 
than inert materials (such as, for instance, polyethylene) and which 
produce energy already during their dissociating reaction. The further 
chemical energy recovery is effected due to the chemical reaction of the 
radicals which are produced during the dissociation of the propellent 
medium. 
Moreover, the reaction products from the propellent medium evidence a 
significantly lower average molecular mass for the propellent gas or, 
respectively, the plasma, as a result of which, in comparison with 
powder-based hybrid weapons, the muzzle velocity can be significantly 
increased. 
When, in addition thereto the gases or, in essence, the reaction products 
which are produced during the combusting of the propellent medium are 
further heated through the utilization of the electrical energy, then the 
individual gases dissociate into lower-molecular or essentially atomic 
disintegration products. In consequence of the low molecular mass, the 
number of molecules increases and thereby the pressure for the same 
volume. Moreover, the sonic velocity is increased due to the lower 
molecular mass and higher temperature. The temperatures which are 
encountered in a plasma can be stated as being 10,000 to 20,000.degree. K. 
When a complete dissociation of the molecules of the propellent gas is 
assumed, the average molecular mass of the propellent gas generated from 
propellent powder charges for tank cannons can be reduced from about 
20-25g to about 10g. In the utilization of conventional liquid propellent 
media, the average molecular mass of the propellent gas is about 15-17g in 
accordance with the mixture of the propellent medium, which through 
complete dissociation can be reduced to values of below 5-7g. Accordingly, 
in comparison with a powder-based drive, for an electrically-supported 
liquid or fluid drive there is obtained a reduction in the molecular mass 
of between 30-40% depending upon the propellent mixture, and an increase 
in the velocity of sound of the propellent gases at the same plasma 
temperature of between 20-30%. These values can be still further increased 
through the utilization of a propellent mixture which is optimized with 
regard to its intended purpose of application.

Through the utilization of supplementary electrical energy, there is 
consequently opened up the possibility of employing liquid propellent 
media which, because of their somewhat lower specific energy (force of 
approximately 1,000 J/g), appear to be less suited for the operation of a 
high-powered weapon with a purely liquid drive. Hereby, on the other hand, 
these propellent media possess two decisive advantages: 
1. The propellent media deliver reaction products with lowered molecular 
mass, as a result of which there can be increased the muzzle velocity. 
2. Due to their high ignition threshold, these propellent media can be 
counted among the so-called LOVA (Low Vulnerability Ammunition) propellent 
media; or in essence, "Insensitive Ammunitions". 
The selection of the suitable propellent media components is carried out on 
the basis of the viewpoint that an optimizing of mutually oppositely 
running effects takes place. Reactive groups lead to chemical conversions 
with an energy recovery; nevertheless, with the disadvantage of a relative 
high molecular mass for the reaction products. The dissociation of pure 
hydrocarbonmolecule chains leads to lower-molecular products with lower 
molecular mass; however, subject to the disadvantage that these processes 
take place extensively endothermally. At the combination of 
carbon-hydrogen radicals with one or more reactive groups there is 
attained a high specific energy, a high explosion temperature and a low 
molecular mass for the reaction products at a high covolume and higher 
specific heat. In accordance with specific features of the invention, 
different groups can be employed as reactive groups. Moreover, these 
materials can be mixed among each other, such that the propellent medium 
is constituted from a mixture of a plurality of such materials. Depending 
upon need, for purposes of phlegmatizing, the reactive groups may also 
have relatively inert additives introduced therein; for example, 
longer-chained hydrocarbons or alcohols. 
As the reactive groups, the following are particularly suitable for the 
propellent media: 
1) Nitroalkanes with one or more nitrogen groups in accordance with the 
chemical formula 
##STR1## 
2) Alkanoxide with one or more oxide groups according to the chemical 
formula 
##STR2## 
3) Acidic anhydrides according to the chemical formula 
##STR3## 
4) One or more ethylene groups or acetylenecontaining alkene or alkine 
according to the chemical formula 
##STR4## 
5) Cyclical nitrogen compounds according to the chemical formula 
##STR5## 
6) Azides according to the chemical formula 
EQU R--CH.sub.2 N.sub.3 (Axide) 
7) Azo compounds 
The special advantages of the new propellent media lie in the properties 
and in the behavior of the employed materials. In particular, to be 
mentioned are: 
a reproducible combusting; 
a rapidly running reaction during the conversion; however, which does not 
take place detonatively; 
a high chemical energy potential at adequate chemical stability; 
present in the form of a liquid within the entire temperature range of 
-45.degree. C. to +80.degree. C.; 
does not act corrosively; 
to the greatest extent is nontoxic, which signifies that the materials are 
not particularly hazardous to the health; 
in the admixtures of the different materials among each other no mixture 
gaps are encountered within the necessary temperature range; 
the components which are to be admixed are mutually compatible; 
low vapor pressure and high flame point; 
low incendiary and explosion danger; 
good storability; 
satisfactory compliance with ordinances relating to the transport of 
hazardous materials on highways, railroads, by sea and air; 
possessing properties which are the least injurious to the environment, and 
simple manufacture at low production costs; 
a non-problematic behavior at accidents and when subjected to enemy fire, 
especially since there is no encountering of any detonative conversion; 
security against spontaneous combustion and self-destruction or detonation 
under high-dynamic compression of the liquid materials, under adiabotic 
compression of bubbles entrained in the liquid, under friction and 
temporary "Hot Spots", under contact with hot surfaces and under 
cavitation; 
a good ignitability under weapon requirements, and; 
the lowest possible molecular masses for the dissociation and reaction 
products. 
Due to the particular behavior of hydrocarbon structures and reactive 
groups for each propellent medium which consists of only one specific 
substance, and through which the chemical composition of the applicable 
material is set to completely specific values, there are obtained 
optimized values, especially with regard to propellent mixtures. 
An advantageous propellent medium component in connection with proposed 
types of propellent media, which leads to the highest possible energy 
yield, in accordance with the features of the invention, consists of 
charged hydrocarbon ring systems with reactive groups; for example, such 
as nitro groups or Azo groups. 
The liquid propellent medium which is to be employed, pursuant to the 
invention must contain one or more reactive groups, as well as hydrogen 
and carbon in such a ratio in that there is resultingly achieved a 
relatively energy-rich exothermic reaction, and the hereby produced and 
already partially dissociated reaction products can be easily decomposed 
or essentially dissociated into molecules of extremely low molecular mass 
by an application of electrical energy. 
There has been shown the existence of suitable materials with the required 
properties for such a propellent medium. These propellent medium 
components, besides a hydrocarbon structure generally also possess 
reactive groups which are particularly adapted for a further 
electrically-initiated dissociation.