Patent ID: 8327747

Claim:
A method comprising: filling an interior cavity of a tube with a multiphase material, wherein the tube comprises sidewalls, a first end, a second end and an opening at the second end; disposing a projectile into the interior cavity of the tube such that the projectile is surrounded by the multi-phase material; sealing the opening of the tube with a pressure barrier member while the multi-phase material and projectile are disposed in the interior cavity of the tube; pressurizing the sealed tube with a gas while the tube is sealed and prior to launching the projectile; and prior to launching the projectile, removing the pressure barrier member thereby allowing equalization of the pressure from the interior cavity with pressure on the exterior of the tube and also thereby resulting in a first shock wave and a second shock wave, the first shock wave emanating away from the projectile and a second shock wave traveling down the tube and reflecting from the first end of the tube so that the projectile is expelled out of the tube.