JPH11118396A - High energy mounting-on-machine-type chemical oxygen iodine laser - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To generate high power by connecting the photon generating chambers of each module optically with one another, using the chemical oxygen iodine laser consisting of the banks of two or more individual photon generating modules. SOLUTION: A chemical oxygen iodine laser(COIL) 10 is composed of the banks of two or more photon generating modules, and in each module, a unit- quantity delta oxygen producer 14 produces unit-quantity delta oxygen by the reaction with basic hydrogen peroxide 18. Next, this unit-quantity delta oxygen is reacted upon iodine 20 in a photon generating chamber 22 so as to produce iodine being electronically excited. Since the electronically excited iodine emits high energy of photons when returning to natural condition this way, these photons are caught and converged and are guided along a laser beam path 26, in an optical cavity 24, and are compounded with the photon beam from other module, and are emitted from an ejector 30.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to chemical lasers and, more particularly, to high energy chemical oxygen iodine lasers.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The development of effective defenses against theater ballistic missiles is a significant national defense requirement. Experience gained during the Desert Storm war emphasizes the importance of providing adequate defense against theater ballistic missiles. An effective system to combat theater ballistic missiles is theoretically possible if a high-energy laser beam can be directed at the theater ballistic missile during the short time between the missile launch and the firing of the booster rocket.
It is during this short time that theater ballistic missiles are most easily identified and most vulnerable to high energy beams.

[0003]

Known weapons against field ballistic missiles lack the ability to prevent the advance of field ballistic missiles before the booster rocket burns, thus destroying the current occurrence of field ballistic missiles. Has proven to be less effective at doing so. Accordingly, there is a need for a battlefield ballistic missile countermeasure system that can prevent the advancement of a battlefield ballistic missile during a short time between the launch of the missile and the firing of the booster rocket.

[0004]

The present invention satisfies this need. The present invention relates to a high energy chemical laser that can be installed in an on-board battlefield ballistic missile countermeasure system. To enable installation on an on-board platform, the chemical laser comprises a bank of two or more individual photon generation modules, each having a separate photon generation chamber. However, each photon generation chamber is optically interconnected by a common optical cavity, and the total photon output of the chemical laser is the sum of the photon output from each photon generation module.

In a preferred embodiment, the chemical laser is a chemical oxygen iodine laser (COIL). This COIL
Has a single-delta oxygen generation section, a photon generation chamber, and a pressure recovery section, all specially designed to maximize efficiency and minimize size and weight. Is done. The present invention has been found to provide an effective battlefield ballistic missile countermeasure system capable of preventing and destroying a battlefield ballistic missile in a short time between the launch of the missile and the firing of the booster rocket. .

[0006]

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS These features and advantages of the present invention will be readily understood from the following description, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention and many modifications of the embodiment will be described in detail. However,
This description is not intended to limit the invention to these particular forms. One skilled in the art will appreciate numerous other embodiments.

The present invention is directed to a high power chemical laser suitable for an airborne battlefield ballistic missile countermeasure system. A basic feature of the chemical laser of the present invention is that it consists of a bank of two or more individual photon generating modules, each having a separate photon generating chamber.
All photon generation chambers from all photon generation modules are optically connected by a common optical cavity, so that the total photon output of a chemical laser is the sum of the photon output from each photon generation module. Also, the use of a common optical cavity ensures coherent optical output.

[0008] By constructing the chemical laser from the individual modules, the otherwise bulky chemical laser can be placed in a highly confined environment. Furthermore, the configuration of the chemical laser from individual modules makes maintenance much easier and allows for permissible performance degradation for each module. Thus, by constructing a chemical laser from individual modules, a high-power chemical laser can be effectively mounted on an on-board platform and operated on-machine for the first time.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the chemical laser is a chemical oxygen iodine laser, also known as "COIL". The basic operation of COIL is generally well known and is incorporated by reference herein in US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 762,180 and other patent applications (“Single Delta Oxygen Generator Vapor Trap and Liquid Separator (Water Vapor Trap)
and Liquid Separator for Singlet-Delta Oxygen Gener
ator) ").

Referring to FIG. 1, the COIL 10 of the present invention is used.
In each of the photon generation modules 8, the chlorine gas 16
Is reacted with the basic hydrogen peroxide 18 to generate single delta oxygen 12 in the single delta oxygen generator 14.
Monomeric delta oxygen 12 reacts with iodine 20 in photon generation chamber 22 to produce electronically excited iodine. High energy photons are emitted when the electronically excited iodine returns to its natural state. These photons are captured, converged, and guided along a laser beam path 26 through a common optical cavity 24 and combined with the photon beams generated by the other photon generation modules 8.

The photon generation chamber 22 is operated at low pressure. Therefore, the effluent 2 from the photon generation chamber 22
7 is a light recovery chamber 22 by a pressure recovery system 28.
Must be withdrawn from In the present invention, the pressure recovery system 28 includes a diffusion chamber 29 and a plurality of single-stage ejectors 30.

A preferred unitary delta oxygen generator 14 that can be used in the present invention is shown generally in FIG. Chlorine gas 16, usually diluted with helium or other inert gas,
It flows from a chlorine distribution chamber 38 and is contacted with basic hydrogen peroxide 18 under conditions well known in the art to produce monomeric delta oxygen molecules 12. A preferred unitary delta oxygen generator 14 that can be used in the present invention is US Pat. No. 5,392,988, which is incorporated herein by reference.
Issue. In such a unitary delta oxygen generator 14, the basic hydrogen peroxide 18 comprises very uniform droplets 34 having a nominal diameter of about 300 to 400 microns.
Is introduced into the generator 14. These droplets 34
A falling droplet zone 36 is formed in the generator 14. The chlorine gas 16 is supplied from the chlorine distribution chamber 38 to the falling droplet zone 36.
Is introduced. The chlorine gas 16 is directed horizontally across the falling droplets 34. The resulting stream comprising the single delta oxygen 12 is extracted from a single delta oxygen outlet zone 40 located opposite the chlorine distribution chamber 38.

The basic hydrogen peroxide 18 is removed via a basic hydrogen peroxide capture vessel 42 at the bottom of the unitary delta oxygen generator 14 and a unitary delta oxygen generator Droplet generator 4 on the vessel 14
It is pumped back to 4. Normally, the circulated basic hydrogen peroxide 18 is cooled in a basic hydrogen peroxide heat exchanger 46.

The specific composition of the basic hydrogen peroxide solution 18 is such that only a gradual decrease in monomeric delta oxygen production is achieved.
8 is selected so that it can be recirculated repeatedly. One preferred basic hydrogen peroxide solution 18 is disclosed in US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 762,180, which is incorporated herein by reference. This US patent application Ser. No. 08 / 762,18.
No. 0 describes a basic hydrogen peroxide solution 18 consisting of at least two different bases in a molar ratio to each other of between about 3: 1 and about 1: 1. In a preferred embodiment,
Solution 18 comprises sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide. Such a preferred basic hydrogen peroxide solution 18 has a low property of forming an insoluble salt,
Thus, it has been found that it has a significantly higher efficiency than known basic hydrogen solutions, since a very high proportion of hydrogen peroxide 18 can be used for the generation of monomeric delta oxygen. The use of such a preferred basic hydrogen peroxide solution 18 significantly extends the ability to maintain an on-board battlefield ballistic missile countermeasure system at the station. Such a preferred basic hydrogen peroxide solution 18 has also been found to exhibit consistently low viscosity properties.

[0015] In another preferred embodiment of the unitary delta oxygen generator 14 that can be used in the present invention, reference is made to the United States patent application, entitled "Improved Unitary Delta Oxygen Generator (Improved). Singlet-Delta Oxyg
en generator), a single unit delta oxygen generator 14 is formed which is more efficient than known single unit delta oxygen generators. Such a new chlorine dispensing device minimizes carryover of liquid from the chlorine dispensing chamber 38 and provides a more uniform chlorine distribution to the falling droplet zone 36.
Such a novel chlorine distribution device is shown in FIGS.

The chlorine 16 is fed into a chlorine distribution chamber 38 by a chlorine inlet conduit 48 which guides the incoming flow of chlorine 16 and provides a side wall 50 of the chlorine distribution chamber 38 opposite the chlorine distribution plate 52. So that chlorine strikes. By directing the flow of chlorine 16 into the chlorine distribution chamber 38 in this manner, a uniform distribution of chlorine gas 16 within the chlorine distribution chamber 38 is achieved. The chlorine distribution plate 52 is a plate that is sufficiently thin to prevent accumulation in the plurality of holes 54 of the distribution plate 52. Preferably, an impact plate 56 is arranged in front of each hole 54 in the chlorine distribution plate 52 to further reduce the backflow of droplets from the falling droplet zone 36 to the chlorine distribution chamber 38 and to reduce the falling droplet zone 3
The lateral flow of chlorine 16 to 6 spreads very uniformly through the falling droplet zone 36.

With this configuration of the chlorine distribution device, liquid from the drop droplet zone 36 is substantially prevented from jumping back into the chlorine distribution chamber 38, and holes 54 in the chlorine distribution plate 52 cause the liquid Not to collect. To the extent that any liquid is generated in the chlorine distribution chamber 38, a drain 58 is provided at the base of the chlorine distribution chamber 38 to remove and drain such liquid. Thus, carryover of all liquid to the falling droplet zone 36 with the flow of chlorine 16 is effectively prevented.

In another preferred embodiment of the single delta oxygen generator 14 that can be used in the present invention, the generator 14 further comprises a steam trap 60 for removing water vapor from the single delta oxygen 12 stream. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6,
A preferred embodiment of such a water trap 60 is such that the stream containing the monomeric delta oxygen molecules 12 is cooled to a temperature of about −20 ° C., preferably to about −30 ° F. or less, with a drop 62 of aqueous hydrogen peroxide. Including contacting Such a water trap 60 is described in the U.S. patent application ("Water Vapor Trap and Water Separator for Unitary Oxygen Generator" filed concurrently with the present invention incorporated herein by reference).
and Liquid Separator for Single Oxygen Generator)
Entitled ").

As shown in detail in FIG. 6, in yet another preferred embodiment, the single delta oxygen generator 14 comprises a series of single delta oxygen molecules 12 disposed in a flow path of the single delta oxygen molecules 12 downstream of the water trap 60. , A vertical flow baffle 64. Through the use of such a flow baffle 64, entrained liquid droplets 66 in the unitary delta oxygen 12 are removed to the bottom of the unitary delta oxygen generator 14.

At the bottom of the single-quantity delta oxygen generator 14, a cooled hydrogen peroxide holding reservoir 68 is disposed.
Capture cold hydrogen peroxide from zero. From the hydrogen peroxide holding reservoir 68, the hydrogen peroxide is supplied to a water trap recirculation pump 70.
, Cooled in a water trap heat exchanger 72 and freshly fed to a droplet generator 74 located at the top of the unitary delta oxygen generator 14.

In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, COIL
Are all gas turbine pumps (turbo pumps) driven by the combustion products of jet fuel.
The use of such a turbopump in the present invention further reduces the weight requirements of the present invention. However, if a turbo pump is used to recirculate the hydrogen peroxide, care must be taken to minimize the formation of hydrogen peroxide bubbles in the recirculated hydrogen peroxide stream. Therefore, it is preferable to use pump vanes designed to minimize pump liquid shear.

In the present invention, the basic hydrogen peroxide recycle heat exchanger 46 and the water trap heat exchanger 72 preferably use the flushing ammonium as a coolant. The use of flashing ammonia provides a high degree of cooling with minimal weight requirements. Liquid ammonia is stored in the aircraft, which is flushed, cooled by a heat exchanger, and discharged to the atmosphere. No cumbersome cooling recirculation device is required.

In the present invention, the single delta oxygen 12 generated by the single delta oxygen generator 14 is supplied to a photon generation chamber 22, where it is brought into contact with an iodine gas 20 and is electrically excited. Generates iodine. In an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a single delta oxygen 12 and iodine gas 20
Is performed at a chemical reactant mixing nozzle 78 located at the entrance to the photon generation chamber 22. In order to further reduce the weight of the chemical laser 10 of the present invention, such a chemical reactant mixing nozzle 78 is provided with a thermoplastic or high temperature glass fiber resin that substantially resists chemical and aggressive attacks in the reactant mixed state. Made of plastic material like. In one preferred embodiment of such a reactant mixing nozzle 78, the plastic is a polyetherimide. This preferred chemical reactant mixing nozzle is described in U.S. patent application Ser.
r) "). Another advantage of using a plastic mixing nozzle 78 is that expensive and heavy heating equipment is not required to prevent the solidification of the incoming reactive iodine gas. It has been found that the plastic mixing nozzle has sufficient thermal insulation performance to prevent iodine gas from precipitating in the mixing nozzle 78. For example, a blade 8 made of polyetherimide
The two shallow skin layers reach a temperature high enough to prevent iodine condensation without additional heating. Further, the polyetherimide does not catalyze the inactivation of unitary delta oxygen 12, as does mixing nozzle 78 made of certain metallic materials.

FIG. 7 shows a photon generation chamber 22 useful in the present invention. The photon generation chamber 22 includes a chemical agent mixing nozzle 78 disposed in a cavity 80 in the photon generation chamber 22, and a chemical reactant supply manifold 81. Nozzle 78 includes a plurality of blades 82 arranged in a uniform spaced parallel relationship and a flow shroud 84 surrounding the blades to constrain the gas flow. Adjacent pairs of blades 82 form nozzle passages 88 that extend through nozzles 78. The nozzle passage 88 includes an inlet end 90, an outlet end 92, and an intermediate throat portion 94.
Typically, nozzle 78 includes at least 75 blades 84.

The blade wall 9 on both sides of the blade 82
A plurality of holes 96 are formed in 8. Typically, each blade 82
Are formed with a total of at least several hundred holes 96 (often with different diameters). The photon generation chamber 22
It further includes both end walls 100 and both open ends 102. The photon generation chamber 22 is substantially trapezoidal in shape and the outlet end of the nozzle passage 88 is narrower than the open end 102 where the reaction product 27 exits to the pressure recovery system 28. The end wall 100 forms an opposing alignment opening 106. Optical axis OA
Extends through the open end 102 substantially perpendicular to the flow direction R of the chemical reactant. The injection of the iodine reactant 20 into the photon generation chamber 22 is preferably performed at an ultrasonic speed to increase the distance downstream of the nozzle 78 where dissociation of the iodine 20 occurs. This extends the optical mode and reduces the flux levels of the optical components.

In the preferred COIL 10 of the present invention, a uniform flow of the unitary delta oxygen 12 to the chemical reactant mixing nozzle 78 is important. Known ground-based C
In OIL, such a uniform distribution of single delta oxygen 12 is not a significant problem. This is because the single delta oxygen release port 40 of the single delta oxygen generator 14
Can be aligned in a perfectly linear fashion with the flow of the reactants through the photon generation chamber 22. However, in the constrained state of the on-board platform, such a linear alignment between the unitary delta oxygen outlet port 40 and the flow of the reactants through the photon generation chamber 22 is practical for space and length constraints. It turns out that it is not. Thus, an angle of between about 60 and about 120 ° is required between the flow of the monomeric delta oxygen 12 produced in the monomeric delta oxygen generator 14 and the flow of the reactants through the photon generation chamber 22. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 8, this angle is about 9
0 °. For reasons of laser beam stabilization control, it has been found preferable to have an angle of about 90 ° below so that the flow through the photon generation chamber 22 is generally vertical below.

To achieve the required uniform mono-delta oxygen flow distribution required at the inlet to the chemical reactant mixing nozzle 78, a layer of mono-delta oxygen flow from the mono-delta oxygen generator 14 is formed. A need exists for a hollow connector 110 that maintains flow characteristics. As shown in FIG. 8, the cylindrical separation valve 1
12 guides the flow of single delta oxygen 12 around the 90 ° bend. The valve 112 is mounted on a hollow connector 114 further comprising a plurality of curved internal flow baffles 116.

COI usable for the chemical laser of the present invention
The L process operates at substantially lower pressure. Therefore,
Reaction products 27 from the photon generation chamber 22 must be withdrawn from the chamber 22 and exhausted at ambient pressure to the outside of the onboard platform. Under typical operating conditions, the pressure difference between the photon generation chamber 22 and ambient pressure is greater than 0.2 atm, and often
It becomes larger than atmospheric pressure.

From the photon generation chamber 22, the reaction product 27
9 to 11 and a U.S. patent application ("High Performance Ejector and Pressure Recover Method"), filed concurrently with the present invention, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
y Method) ").

In a preferred pressure recovery system 28 that can be used in the present invention, the pressure recovery system 28 includes a plurality of one-stage ejectors 30. In one preferred embodiment, each photon generation module 22 includes six one-stage ejectors 30 operating in parallel. In the present invention, the preferred ejector 30 is substantially constructed of carbon-carbon fiber material to minimize weight requirements. To minimize the degradation of the carbon-carbon fiber material due to oxidation, an antioxidant coating can be used.

To maximize the efficiency of each ejector 30, the primary gas 120 that can be used for each ejector 30 is:
Decomposed hydrogen peroxide and hydrocarbon fuel such as JP-
8 is an ultrasonic flow generated by reaction with aircraft or jet fuel. The decomposed hydrogen peroxide is generally 70% to 95% (by weight) pure hydrogen peroxide, which is catalyzed to water and oxygen at elevated temperatures and pressures. A silver based screen mesh catalyst can be used for this purpose. Hydrogen peroxide decomposed is about 85% pure
If started with more than (by weight) hydrogen peroxide, J
Its reaction with aircraft or jet fuel, such as P-8, is auto-ignition, thus eliminating the need for an igniter.

As shown in FIG. 10, the ultrasonic flow of the primary gas 120 is applied to the primary gas generator 1 placed in the filling section 29.
Generated at 16. The primary gas 120 is then
It is directed to the throat 128 of each ejector 30. In order to minimize thermal degradation of the primary gas generator 116, the primary gas generator 116 can be cooled by coolant flowing in an outer jacket (not shown). Preferred coolants are hydrocarbon fuels to minimize weight requirements and maximize thermal efficiency.

At the inlet 122 of each ejector 30, the reaction products 27 from the photon generation chamber 22 are mixed with the primary gas 120. Synthesized gas stream 126
Is then transmitted ultrasonically to the throat 128 of the ejector 30. The throat 128 of the ejector 30 is the ejector 30
, The flow in the ejector 30 gradually becomes subsonic. Such a subsonic flow is discharged from the on-board platform via a discharge shaping section 133 arranged at the bottom of the on-board platform.

The use of multiple one-stage ejectors 30 eliminates two-stage ejectors (having an unacceptably excessive length). The use of carbon-carbon fiber material minimizes weight requirements, and the use of cracked hydrogen peroxide / hydrocarbon fuel maximizes ejector efficiency. As described above, each of the photon generation modules generates a high energy photon beam 26, as is well known in chemical lasers, and such a photon beam is used in the present invention for the flow of chemical reactants within photon generation chamber 22. And each photon beam 26 from each photon generation chamber 22 (from each photon generation module 8) is optically connected laterally to form a single ultra-high energy laser beam 26. Form. Generally, suitable optical devices well known in the art are used for this purpose.

If the laser beam is composed of a number of banks 134 of individual photon generating modules 8, the laser beam 26 generated from the downstream bank 134 is inverted after the laser beam 26 from the upstream bank 134 is inverted. Is preferably synthesized. This is the photon generation chamber 22
In the embodiment of the present invention in which the flow of the reactant through is downward, the photon energy generated in each photon generating module 8 tends to be higher near the upper part of the chamber 22 than at the lower part of the chamber 22. Because there is. This is because the reaction rate between the photon generating reactants in the photon generating chamber 22 is larger at the inlet of the chamber 22 than at the outlet. Thus, the photon beam 26 exiting each such photon generation module 8 is higher in intensity at its upper part than at its lower part. Therefore, in order to equalize the intensity of the resulting combined laser beam, after inverting the laser beam 26 generated in the upstream bank 134 (so that its high energy component is at the bottom of the beam), the downstream bank 134 It is preferable to combine with the laser beam 26 from. Reversal of the laser beam 26 is performed by standard optical techniques known in the art.

FIGS. 12 and 13 show a typical combination of the chemical laser 10 of the present invention mounted on an aircraft 140.
The present invention shown in FIGS.
And each bank 134 includes seven modules 8. At the end of the aircraft 140, the main deck entrance door 142 and the hydrogen peroxide internal tank 1
44 and the internal tank 146 of JP-8 are shown. Immediately after the photon generation module 8, the rear optical bench 14
8 is shown. A narrow passage 150 is arranged between the two banks 134.

At the end of aircraft 140, aircraft 1
Access hatch 154, rear compartment door 156, and side cargo door 15 for entering and exiting the lower portion of 40
8 is also shown. Exhaust shaping section 133 is also shown directly below photon generating module 8. Beneath the two banks of the photon generation module 8, a chlorine vaporizer 160, an inlet scoop 162 and a chlorine tank 164 are shown. Immediately before the photon generating module 8, an intermediate optical bench 166, a helium tank 168, a hydrogen peroxide tank 16
9 and the ammonia tank 170 are shown.

In front of the helium and ammonia tanks 168 and 170 are a main deck entrance door 172, a personal storage locker 174, a cooking chamber 175, a device storage locker 176, a bed 178, and an interlock 180. Helium and ammonia tanks 168 and 17
In front of 0, battle management E / E rack 18
2 and a laser device E / E rack 184 are also shown.

Also, a safe 186, a battle management crew station 188, a battle management system equipment rack 190, a seat 192, a seat truck 194, a separation curtain 196, a toilet 197, a front stair 198, a passenger entrance door 200, and a main deck entrance door 202. Are also shown. The laser beam tube 204 extends from the intermediate optical bench 166 through the forward end of the aircraft 140 to the head 206 of the aircraft. Aircraft head 206
Has a beam directing turret assembly 208.

Along the laser beam tube 204 is a material window 210. Between the laser beam 204 and the beam directing turret assembly 208 is a front optical bench 212. Also shown at the forward end of the aircraft 140 is a beam control system E / E rack 214, body shaping section 216, runway 218, passive flow controller 220, spoiler 222, weather laser 224, and laser device electronics rack 226. I have. At the forward end of aircraft 140 and at the top of aircraft 140 are target rangers /
A typer 228 is arranged. Immediately following the beam directing turret assembly 208 is a front material window 230.

As shown in FIG. 14, the chemical laser 10 of the present invention can also be installed on a ground-based transport device 232 such as a truck, trailer, railcar or similar device.
Having described the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous structural modifications and adaptations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 illustrates a chemical oxygen iodine laser incorporating features of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side view of a unitary delta oxygen generator incorporating features of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view of a distribution plate that can be used in the single-quantity delta oxygen generator shown in FIG. 2, taken along line 3-3 in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a detailed view of holes and impact plates that can be used in the distribution plate shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional side view of the hole and the impact plate shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of a water trap / impact baffle combination that can be used with the single dose delta oxygen generator shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a photon generator that can be used in a chemical oxygen iodine laser incorporating features of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional side view of a connecting conduit connecting a single delta oxygen generator and a photon generator of a chemical oxygen iodine laser incorporating features of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an ejector that can be used in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of another ejector that can be used in the present invention.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a pressure recovery system that can be used with a chemical oxygen iodine laser incorporating features of the present invention.

FIG. 11B is a perspective view showing a gas generator portion of the pressure recovery system shown in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 12 is a partial cross-sectional plan view illustrating a chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted on an aircraft incorporating features of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a partial cross-sectional side view of the aircraft-mounted chemical oxygen iodine laser shown in FIG.

FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional side view of a chemical oxygen iodine laser mounted on a ground-based transport incorporating features of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 8 Photon Generation Module 10 Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) 12 Monomeric Delta Oxygen 14 Monomeric Delta Oxygen Generator 16 Chlorine Gas 18 Basic Hydrogen Peroxide 20 Iodine 22 Photon Generation Chamber 24 Common Optical Cavity 26 Laser Beam Path 28 Pressure recovery system 29 Diffusion chamber 30 One-stage ejector 34 Droplet 36 Droplet drop zone 38 Chlorine distribution chamber 40 Nozzle 44 Droplet generator 46 Hydrogen peroxide heat exchanger 52 Chlorine distribution plate 54 Hole 60 Steam trap

 ────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Charles W. Krenden Jr., USA 90505 Torrance Redbeam Avenue 22515 (72) Inventor Robert Jay Day USA 90274 Rolling Hills Estates Pony Lane 22 (72) Inventor Gary Seacoup United States California 90266 Manhattan Beach Thirty Street 636

Claims (26)

[Claims] 1. A high power chemical laser suitable for use in an airborne battlefield ballistic missile countermeasure system, wherein the chemical laser is a COIL comprising a bank of two or more individual photon generating modules. The modules have separate photon generation chambers, and all photon generation chambers are optically connected such that the total photon output of the chemical laser is the sum of the photon output from each photon generation module. Chemical laser. 2. The photon generation module comprising two or more banks of photon generation modules, wherein the total photon output from each bank is combined along a path arranged in a single plane, and the total photon output of the chemical laser is generated by the photon generation module. 2. The chemical laser according to claim 1, wherein the sum is the sum of photon outputs from the respective banks. 3. A system comprising a first bank and a second bank, wherein the total photon output from each bank is emitted in the form of a photon beam;
The chemical laser according to claim 2, wherein the photon beam emitted from the first bank is inverted and combined with the photon beam emitted from the second bank. 4. Each photon generation module has a single-quantity delta oxygen generator and a photon generation chamber, and the single-quantity delta oxygen generated in the single-quantity delta oxygen generator is converted to a single-quantity delta oxygen above the photon generation chamber. About 60 ° to about 120 ° relative to the flow of reactants from the oxygen generator through the photon generation chamber
2. The chemical laser according to claim 1, wherein the laser is emitted at an angle. 5. The chemical laser according to claim 4, wherein the unitary delta oxygen generator is fluid-tightly connected to the photon generation chamber by a hollow connector that maintains the flow of unitary delta oxygen in a substantially laminar state. . 6. The chemical laser of claim 5, wherein said hollow connector includes a plurality of curved internal flow baffles. 7. A unitary delta oxygen generator is provided by the reaction of chlorine with a solution comprising hydrogen peroxide and at least two different bases in a molar ratio of each other of about 3: 1 to about 1: 1. 5. The chemical laser according to claim 4, wherein the laser generates quantity delta oxygen. 8. The chemical laser according to claim 7, wherein said solution contains sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide and lithium hydroxide. 9. The chemical laser of claim 4 wherein said chlorine is sent to a unitary delta oxygen generator by a chlorine injection manifold having means for preventing liquid carryover. 10. A unitary delta oxygen generator produced by contacting a stream comprising the produced unitary delta oxygen with droplets of hydrogen peroxide having a temperature of less than about -20 ° C. The chemical laser according to claim 4, further comprising a water trap for removing water vapor from oxygen. 11. A method comprising passing a stream comprising the generated single delta oxygen in contact with a plurality of closely spaced flow baffles located downstream of a steam trap.
11. The chemical laser according to claim 10, wherein liquid droplets are removed from a stream comprising single delta oxygen generated in a single delta oxygen generator. 12. At least one of the chemical lasers
2. The chemical laser according to claim 1, wherein the two liquid streams are pumped by a pump driven by a gas turbine. 13. The liquid pumped by a gas turbine driven pump is a stream of hydrogen peroxide, and the blades of the pump are designed to generate substantially no hydrogen peroxide bubbles. A chemical laser according to claim 1. 14. The at least one laser generated by a chemical laser.
The chemical laser according to claim 1, wherein the two liquid streams are cooled by thermal contact with the flashing liquid ammonia. 15. Each photon generation module has a photon generation chamber, and the photon generation chamber is comprised of a plurality of reactant mixes made of plastic that substantially resist chemical and erosive attacks in the reactant mix. The chemical laser according to claim 1, comprising a nozzle. 16. The chemical laser according to claim 15, wherein the plastic is polyetherimide. 17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each photon generation module has a pressure recovery system that draws a reaction product from the photon generator, and the pressure recovery system includes a plurality of ejectors arranged in parallel. Chemical laser. 18. The chemical laser of claim 17, wherein said ejector is substantially comprised of a carbon-carbon fiber composite. 19. The number of said parallel ejectors is at least four, and each ejector removes reactants from the photon generation chamber and dissipates the reactants at least about 0.2 atmospheres above the pressure in the photon generation chamber. 18. The chemical laser according to claim 17, discharging to a discharge zone having a high pressure. 20. The chemical laser of claim 17, wherein said ejector is driven by a reaction product of decomposed hydrogen peroxide and jet fuel. 21. The chemical laser of claim 20, wherein said ejector is driven by a reaction product of decomposed 85% hydrogen peroxide and jet fuel. 22. The chemical laser according to claim 1, wherein the chemical laser is installed in an on-board device. 23. The chemical laser according to claim 22, wherein the chemical laser is installed on an aircraft. 24. The chemical laser according to claim 1, wherein the chemical laser is installed on a ground-based transport device. 25. A high power chemical laser installed in an airborne field ballistic missile countermeasure system, wherein the chemical laser comprises a bank of two or more individual photon generating modules, each module comprising a separate photon generating module. A chemical laser having a generation chamber, wherein all photon generation chambers are optically connected such that the total photon output of the chemical laser is the sum of the photon output from each photon generation module. 26. The chemical laser according to claim 25, wherein the chemical laser is installed on an aircraft.