RU2475907C1 - Attack orbital nuclear pumping laser - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: weapons and ammunition.

SUBSTANCE: attack orbital nuclear pumping laser comprises resonator, gas-dynamic channel with layer applied on inner wall internal surface that contains nuclei of uranium 235 filled with working gas medium as well as nuclei of uranium 235 implanted into channel wall. Gas-dynamic channel is composed of liquid propellant rocket engine combustion chamber nozzle with divergent section shaped to ring in throat and rectangle at outlet with smooth transition from ring to rectangle. Combustion chamber is attached to turbo pump unit whereto gas generator is attached. Resonator is secured perpendicular to nozzle axis. Nuclear reactor and heat exchanger are arranged inside combustion chamber. Note here that nuclear reactor and heat exchanger are interconnected by heat carrier circulation feed and discharge pipelines.

EFFECT: higher fire power.

4 cl, 6 dwg

Description

The invention relates to the field of quantum electronics and can be used to create pulsed nuclear-pumped gas lasers.

A laser is a device for producing high-intensity and narrowly directed beams of monochromatic light radiation. The laser was created in 1955 by Soviet scientists A. Prokhorov. and Basov N.G. There are various types of lasers - gas, liquid and solid state. Laser radiation can be continuous and pulsed. In practice, lasers of various powers are used. The most powerful lasers are used in armaments. The action of laser radiation is based on a sharp increase in temperature in the irradiated area, which causes the destruction of the material: fusion or evaporation.

Known gas laser. The disadvantage of this laser is the low generation energy.

The closest in technical essence is a gas laser with a nuclear pump according to the patent of Russian Federation No. 1140668, IPC H01S 3/09, publ. 06/30/1994, the prototype.

This laser contains a resonator, a gas-dynamic path with a layer deposited on the inner surface of the inner wall, including uranium nuclei 235 filled with a working gas medium, as well as uranium nuclei 235 embedded in the channel wall.

The disadvantage of such a laser is the low output energy of the generation due to the fact that the active generation region does not cover the entire volume of gas filling the cuvette. This arises for the reason that during laser operation the gas volume is divided into two parts: the active generation region and the region not covered by generation, i.e. the passive zone. The passive zone is formed due to cooling of a portion of the gas directly adjacent to the uranium-containing layer. Cooling occurs due to heat transfer to the cell tube, the heat capacity of a unit volume of which significantly exceeds the heat capacity of a unit volume of gas. Within the passive zone, the temperature gradient is negative, and accordingly the density and refractive index gradients are positive; in the active region, vice versa. In the active region, there is no loss of light energy, since light rays having an initial direction parallel to the axis of symmetry of the laser freely go beyond its cell. In the passive zone, there is a loss of light energy due to the fact that with a positive gradient of the refractive index, the light rays bend to the wall of the cell and are absorbed there. Over time, the passive zone expands. With a neutron pump pulse duration of τ≈10 ^-3 s, the size of the passive zone is approximately 1 mm. When the irradiation duration is increased to a value of 10 ^-2 s, the size of the passive zone at the end of irradiation increases to 3 mm. With a neutron flux duration of a nuclear-pumped gas laser of the order of or greater than 0.8 s, the passive zone can cover the entire working volume of the laser.

The aim of this invention was to increase the output energy of the laser.

The goal was achieved in that in a nuclear-pumped gas laser containing a cylindrical tube with a layer deposited on its inner surface, including uranium nuclei 235 filled with a working gas medium, ²³⁵ U uranium nuclei are also embedded in the tube wall, while the concentration N of uranium nuclei ²³⁵ U in the wall is selected from the relation

where N ₁ is the concentration of ²³⁵ U uranium nuclei per unit volume of a uranium-containing layer;

C ₁ , C ₂ , C ₃ - specific heat (at constant volume) of the working medium, the uranium-containing layer and the cylindrical tube, respectively;

ρ ₁ , ρ ₂ , ρ ₃ - density of the active medium, the uranium-containing layer and the cylindrical tube, respectively;

r ₁ is the inner radius of the uranium-containing layer;

r ₂ is the outer radius of the uranium-containing layer;

r ₃ is the outer radius of the cylindrical tube;

∈ is the fraction of the energy of fragments from fission occurring in the uranium-containing layer that is effectively transferred to the working medium.

The expression for choosing the optimal concentration N of ²³⁵ U uranium nuclei embedded in the tube wall is obtained from balanced energy ratios. The value of the optimal concentration does not depend on the dynamics of the laser, which was confirmed by the calculation.

A nuclear-pumped gas laser operates as follows.

When the laser is irradiated with a neutron flux, fission of uranium 235 nuclei occurs both of the uranium-containing layer deposited on the inner wall of the tube and of uranium nuclei embedded in the tube wall. In this case, the fission fragments of the nuclei of the uranium-containing layer provide the creation of an inverse population of the active medium of the gas laser. The energy released during the fission of uranium nuclei embedded in the wall leads to an increase in the temperature of the wall and thereby eliminates the cause of the occurrence of passive zones.

Consider a nuclear-pumped gas laser whose cylindrical tube cavity is filled with a HE + Xe mixture (in a ratio of 200: 1) with an initial density ρ ₁ = 0.9256 · 10 ³ g / cm ³ . The outer radius of the uranium-containing layer is 2 r ₂ = 1 cm, its thickness is δ = 0.518 · 10 ^-3 cm. The material of the layer is uranium dioxide, characterized by a density ρ ₂ = 10.96 g / cm ³ and a concentration of uranium nuclei ²³⁵ UN ₁ = 2 , 4710 ²² ppm / cm ³ . The outer radius of the cylindrical tube is 3 r ₃ = 1.1 cm, its thickness Δr ₃ = 0.1 cm; the tube is continuous. The tube material is alloy: zirconium with the addition of uranium ²³⁵ U, its density ρ ₃ = 6.44 g / cm ³ . The initial temperature of the entire system is T _o = 303 K. Thermogasdynamic calculations were performed on a computer with an increase in the flux of thermal pump neutrons according to the law Ф (t) = Ф _o e ^t / τ _n with a given period τ _n = 1.5 s. Ф _{о was} assumed to be equal to 10 ¹³ N / cm ² s. In the calculations, the concentration of ²³⁵ U in the tube wall material was varied. Curve 5 in FIG. 2 shows the dependence of the coordinate of the boundary of the active generation region on the concentration of uranium nuclei 235 in the tube wall. Thus, direct calculations confirm that the above formulas determine the optimal value of the concentration of uranium nuclei in the tube of the laser cell, which must be provided to effectively compensate for the effects of temperature and density inhomogeneities arising in the working gas.

The efficiency of such a laser with an optimal concentration of ²³⁵ U nuclei in the tube was verified in calculations of thermogasdynamic and optical characteristics when it was operated in the mode of pumping by a thermal neutron flux, which has a time dependence close in shape to a rectangular one with a duration of τ = 1 s. The value of f _m = 0,683 · 10 ¹⁴ N. / cm ² s is the maximum value of the thermal neutron flux. Based on the obtained spatio-temporal distributions of the temperature and density of the gas mixture using the time dependence of the thermal neutron pump pulse and the known relations describing the relationship between the gas density and its refractive index, the distribution of the refractive index and the divergence of optical radiation, etc., the change in time relative average intensity of laser radiation.

The optimal concentration of 235 uranium nuclei in the tube of the laser cell is determined by the geometric dimensions and thermophysical parameters of the tube itself, the uranium-containing layer and the working gas medium. When the concentration of uranium 235 nuclei in the tube material changes from zero to the optimal value, the output laser radiation energy monotonically increases to the maximum possible value. With a further increase in concentration, the output radiation energy remains unchanged.

Thus, the introduction of uranium 235 nuclei with an optimal concentration of N into the wall of a nuclear-pumped laser tube allows a significant 15–30-fold increase (with a pump duration of τ≈1 s) to increase the energy of the laser output radiation compared to the prototype. In addition, such a device completely eliminates the possibility of failure of heating of the tube wall and provides synchronization of tracking heating of the tube for heating the working gas medium.

Thus, the well-known gas laser with nuclear pumping according to the patent of the Russian Federation No. 1140668, IPC H01S 3/09, publ. 06/30/1994, also has disadvantages.

The disadvantages of the laser described above are low power, low combat readiness and a damaging effect.

The tasks of creating a combat orbital nuclear-pumped laser are to significantly increase its power and damaging properties.

The solution of these problems was achieved in a nuclear-pumped combat orbital laser containing a resonator, a gas-dynamic tract with a layer deposited on the inner surface of the inner wall, including uranium 235 nuclei filled with a working gas medium, as well as uranium 235 nuclei embedded in the channel wall, characterized in that the gas-dynamic path is made in the form of a nozzle of the combustion chamber of a liquid-rocket engine, the expanding part of which is made of a circular cross section - in a critical section and a rectangular one - in the exit section with a the transition from round to rectangular cross section, the resonator is installed perpendicular to the nozzle axis, a nuclear reactor and a heat exchanger installed inside the combustion chamber are used, while the nuclear reactor and the heat exchanger are connected to each other by the supply and exhaust pipes of the coolant recirculation.

The combat laser may additionally contain a second nozzle mounted opposite to the first, both nozzles are connected by gas ducts to a turbopump assembly mounted under the turbopump assembly. The turbopump assembly comprises a turbine, an oxidizer pump, a fuel pump, an additional fuel pump, and a starting turbine. A gas flow regulator can be installed in one of the gas ducts.

The invention is illustrated in figure 1 ... 6, where

- figure 1 shows a diagram of a combat orbital laser with a nuclear pump,

- figure 2 shows a view A,

- figure 3 shows a view of B,

- figure 4 shows a diagram of a combat orbital laser with two combustion chambers,

- figure 5 shows a diagram of a combat laser with two rocket engines,

- figure 6 shows a diagram of a combat laser with one rocket engine having one TNA and two combustion chambers.

A nuclear-pumped combat orbital laser contains (FIGS. 1 ... 6) a resonator 1, which, in turn, contains mirrors 2, a diaphragm 3, and a lens 4. The resonator 1 is mounted perpendicular to the gas-dynamic path, which is made in the form of a nozzle 5 of the liquid combustion chamber 6 rocket engine (LRE) 7. Liquid rocket engines 7 are not used to create jet thrust (or if one combustion chamber is used, they are used to create very low thrust forces. This is achieved by low pressure in the combustion chamber 2 ... 3 atm and low flow oxidizer and fuel.

Liquid rocket engines 7 are used mainly to create jet propulsion, and are used to pump a combat laser. The combustion chamber 6 of a liquid-propellant rocket engine 7 contains a head 8 and a cylindrical part 9. The nozzle 5 comprises a tapering part 10 and an expanding part 11. The expanding part 11 is made of a circular cross section — in a critical section and a rectangular section — in the exit section with a smooth transition from round to rectangular section . Both the tapering 10 and the expanding part 11 are made with the possibility of regenerative cooling (Fig. 1) and contain two walls: an inner wall 12 and an outer wall 13 with a gap between them 14. A layer of uranium 235 - 15 is deposited on the inner surface of the inner wall 12, and uranium particles 238-16 are embedded in the inner wall 12 itself.

The resonator 1 is placed perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle 5 of the combustion chamber 6, preferably in the region of the expanding part 11.

The combat laser includes a heat exchanger 17 mounted inside the cylindrical part 9 of the combustion chamber 7, and a nuclear reactor 18. The nuclear reactor 18 is connected to the heat exchanger 17 by coolant circulation pipelines, supply 19 and discharge 20. A pump 21 is installed in the supply pipe 19.

Combat orbital laser (figure 4 ... 6) may contain one or preferably two liquid rocket engines 7, one or preferably two combustion chambers 6 and a turbopump unit (TNA) 22. The turbopump unit 22, in turn, contains mounted on the shaft 23 TNA 22 centrifugal impeller of the oxidizer pump 24, centrifugal impeller of the fuel pump 25, speed sensor 26, additional fuel pump 27, with the shaft of the additional fuel pump 28, connected by a multiplier 29, located in the housing 30 with the shaft 23 ТНА 22, main an oval turbine 31 made in the upper part of the turbopump unit 22. The gas generator 32 is mounted above the main turbine 31 coaxially with the turbopump unit 22. The combustion chamber 6 has a power belt 33, TNA 22 is attached to it by rods 34. An outer plate is made inside the combustion chamber 6 35 and the inner plate 36 with between them (figure 4). Inside the head 8 of the combustion chamber 6, the oxidizer nozzles 37 and the fuel nozzles 38 are installed. The oxidizer nozzles 37 communicate the cavity “B” with the internal cavity of the combustion chamber “D”, and the fuel nozzles 38 communicate the cavity “G” with the internal cavity of the combustion chamber “D”. A fuel manifold 39 is installed on the outer surface of the combustion chamber 21, from which the fuel lines 40 extend to the lower part of the nozzle 33. An outlet from the fuel valve 41 is connected to the fuel manifold 39, the inlet of which is connected by a fuel pipe 42 to the outlet of the centrifugal impeller of the fuel pump 25. Exit from an additional fuel pump 27 is connected by a high pressure fuel line 43 through a flow regulator 44 having an actuator 45 and a high pressure valve 46, with a gas generator 32, specifically with a cavity "E". The exit from the centrifugal impeller of the oxidizer pump 24 through the oxidizer pipe 47 through the valve 48 is also connected to the generator 32, specifically with its cavity "G". Ignition devices 49 are installed on the head 35 of the combustion chamber 21, and ignition devices 50 are installed on the gas generator 31.

An electrical connection 51 is connected to the speed sensor 26, which is connected to the control unit 52 and provides all other electrical switching.

Electrolap devices 49 and 50, a fuel valve 41, an oxidizer valve 48, an actuator for the flow regulator 45, a high pressure valve 46, a start valve 53 and a gas flow regulator 54, if installed in the gas duct 55 of one of the combustion chambers 9. The gas flow regulator 54 has a drive 56 and ensures equality of traction force of two opposed installed liquid rocket engines 7.

A purge line 57 with a purge valve 58 is connected to the fuel manifold 39. The combustion chamber 9 (or combustion chamber) can be mounted on the pins 59.

The combat laser includes a compressed air cylinder 60 to which a high pressure pipe 61 having a valve 62 is connected. The other end of the high pressure pipe 61 is connected to a start turbine 63. An exhaust pipe 64 is connected to the start turbine 63.

To measure the traction force of the combustion chambers 5 in the upper part of the combustion chambers 7, sensors 66 are installed between them and the base plate 65 (Figs. 4 and 5).

When launching a nuclear-pumped combat orbital laser, a nuclear reactor 18 is first launched, then a liquid-propellant rocket engine 8 (engines with two engines). To start the liquid-propellant rocket engine 8, the valve 62 is opened and the compressed air enters the starting turbine 64 through the high pressure pipe 61. Then, the valves 41, 48 and 69 are opened and the igniters 49 and 50 are turned on (Fig. 4). Fuel (oxidizer and fuel) during combustion in the combustion chamber 7 burns out at a relatively low temperature of up to 500 degrees C. Further heating of the combustion products to 3,000 ... 4,000 degrees C is carried out by heat exchanger 17. To do this, turn on pump 21, which circulates the liquid coolant through the circulation pipelines through the heat exchanger 17, transferring to it the thermal energy of the nuclear reactor 18. In addition to significant heating, the combustion products are exposed to radiation, this helps to increase the power of the laser 1.

For a combat laser with two combustion chambers 7 (Fig. 4), the gas flow regulator 24 achieves the equal thrust of both combustion chambers 7. The amount of thrust is measured by sensors 66.

The combat laser is turned off in the reverse order.

To ensure the operability of a combat laser, the following conditions must be met.

1. Liquid rocket engine - the liquid propellant rocket engine must be specially designed and not used in the spacecraft engine. However, the circuit diagram of the engine and its design will not differ from the known ones. The main differences are relatively large dimensions to ensure placement inside the cylindrical part of a nuclear reactor. A small-sized nuclear reactor, mass-produced in Japan, has dimensions of 1.8 m × 6 m (including suspended equipment), the actual dimensions are much smaller - http://www.xbt.com - (Appendix 1). There is information about the deployment more than 40 years ago at space objects in the USSR of a nuclear reactor inside the LRE combustion chambers - http://www.atomie-energi.ru - (Appendix 2). Based on these data, the estimated dimensions of the cylindrical part of the combustion chamber should be: diameter 2 m and length 6 m

2. The operating mode of the rocket engine should be different from the operating mode of the space rocket engine. The main differences in the work:

- a very small pressure in the combustion chamber, from 0.5 to 20 kgf / cm ² , to ensure the strength of the walls of the combustion chamber with its large dimensions,

- the ratio of the components of the fuel with a high content of oxidizing agent, ensuring the temperature of the combustion products less than 500 ° C and the absence of soot deposits on the inner walls of the combustion chamber. It will also preserve uranium particles 235 embedded in the wall of the combustion chamber. In addition, copper alloys are currently used for the internal walls of combustion chambers, which are not fused at gas flow temperatures up to 3000 ... 4000 ° C. This is achieved by using highly efficient convective cooling of the walls of the combustion chambers by one of the fuel components.

These measures are not advisable for rocket engines intended for launch vehicles, as they reduce their traction, reduce specific thrust and multiply their weight. For orbital installations, this is unprincipled, and a large jet thrust even interferes with the operation of a combat laser. It is assumed that the assembly of large rocket engines will be carried out in space from nodes and parts of relatively small dimensions.

On the other hand, for such an engine (large dimensions) unalloyed, cheap steels can be used, the design of the combustion chamber will be simplified - it can be made of a collapsible and rectangular shape, cooling of the walls of the combustion chamber will be facilitated, the design of the turbopump assembly - TNA will be simplified, as it will be designed at relatively low pressures.

The use of the invention allowed

1. To increase the power of the combat laser due to the additional radioactive irradiation of the combustion products and increase their temperature in the cavity, which will allow the laser beam to transmit more energy.

2. Increase the efficiency of the combat laser.

3. Provide reusable inclusion of the combat laser.

4. To increase the accuracy of the laser hit by compensating the traction forces of the two combustion chambers in a two-chamber version.

5. Increase the combat readiness of the laser.

6. Significantly improve the country's defense.

Claims (4)

1. A nuclear-pumped combat orbital laser containing a resonator, a gas-dynamic path with a layer deposited on the inner surface of the inner wall, including uranium 235 nuclei filled with a working gas medium, and also uranium 235 nuclei embedded in the channel wall, characterized in that the gas-dynamic path made in the form of a nozzle of the combustion chamber of a liquid-rocket engine, the expanding part of which is made of circular cross section in the critical section and rectangular in the output section with a smooth transition from round to rectangle nomu section, a combustion chamber is secured to a turbopump assembly to which is attached a gas generator, the resonator is mounted perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the nozzle, and applied to a nuclear reactor heat exchanger mounted inside the combustion chamber, wherein the nuclear reactor and a heat exchanger connected to inlet and outlet conduits recycle coolant. 2. The combat orbital laser according to claim 1, characterized in that it further comprises a second nozzle mounted opposite to the first, both nozzles connected to a generator by gas ducts. 3. Combat orbital laser according to claim 2, characterized in that the turbopump assembly comprises a turbine, an oxidizer pump, a fuel pump, an additional fuel pump and a starting turbine. 4. Combat orbital laser according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that a flow regulator is installed in one of the gas ducts.

Images