ENHANCED EFFICIENCY EXPLOSIVE GENERATORS

AIR FORCE REQUIREMENTS FOR SPACE POWER INSIST ON LOW WEIGHT, RELIABILITY, AND MINIMUM COLLATERAL DAMAGE. EXPLOSIVE GENERATORS (MCG'S) HAVE LONG SHELF LIFE AND RELIABILITY BUT THEIR POOR ENERGY CONVERSION EFFICIENCY RESULTS IN AN UNACCEPTABLE AMOUNT OF EXPLOSIVE WHICH AFFECTS BOTH THE WEIGHT AND THE COLLATERAL DAMAGE. A NOVEL DESIGN IS PROPOSED WHICH USES A SELF TAMPERED, DISTRIBUTED EXPLOSIVE AND CURRENT CARRYING CONDUCTORS AND WHICH YIELDS SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENTS IN EFFICIENCY AND WEIGHT. THE DESIGN ALSO PROVIDES QUASI SELF-CONTAINMENT. THE RESULTING COMPACTNESS IS EXPECTED TO ALLOW POWER PACKS ON A COMMON BUS. THESE PACKS CAN THEN BE OPERATED SEQUENTIALLY AND THE DEBRIS EJECTED-HARMLESSLY IN A MOMENTUM BALANCED FASHION.