Electro-discharge system for neutralizing landmines

• US 9,829,283 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2017
• Issued: 11/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: VLN Advanced Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: VLN Advanced Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Vijay, Mohan, Panarella, Emilio, Xu, Meisheng, Yan, Wenzhuo, Daniels, Bruce, Tieu, Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): HAYES, BRET C
• Application Number:
  US15/399,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20170307340A1
• Time in Patent Office: 327 Days
• Field of Search: 89 113
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/0653 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/13 Systems specially adapted for detection of landmines
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/136 Magnetic, electromagnetic, acoustic or radiation systems, e.g. ground penetrating radars or metal-detectors
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/18 with ground-impacting means for activating mines by the use of mechanical impulses, e.g. flails or stamping elements

Abstract

A landmine-neutralization system has a vehicle including a water supply tank and an electrical power supply and an electro-discharge apparatus. The electro-discharge apparatus includes one or more electro-discharge nozzles each having a discharge chamber that has an inlet for receiving water from the water supply tank and an outlet, a first electrode extending into the discharge chamber and being electrically connected to one or more high-voltage capacitors that are connected to, and chargeable by, the electrical power supply, a second electrode proximate to the first electrode to define a gap between the first and second electrodes and a switch to cause the one or more capacitors to discharge across the gap between the electrodes to create a plasma bubble which expands to form a shockwave that escapes through one or more exit orifices of the one or more nozzles ahead of the plasma bubble to thereby neutralize a landmine.

Claims

1. A landmine-neutralization system comprising:

a vehicle including a water supply tank and an electrical power supply;

an electro-discharge apparatus supported by the vehicle, the electro-discharge apparatus comprising;

one or more electro-discharge nozzles, each nozzle having a discharge chamber that has an inlet for receiving water from the water supply tank and an outlet;

a first electrode extending into the discharge chamber and being electrically connected to one or more high-voltage capacitors that are connected to, and chargeable by, the electrical power supply;

a second electrode proximate to the first electrode to define a gap between the first and second electrodes;

a switch to cause the one or more capacitors to discharge across the gap between the electrodes to create a plasma bubble which expands to form a shockwave that escapes through an exit orifice of the discharge chamber ahead of the plasma bubble to thereby neutralize a landmine; and

a drone carrying a landmine detector configured to relay mine-detection data to a controller of the vehicle.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the electro-discharge apparatus further comprises a water pump electrically insulated from the one or more nozzles by an electrically insulating coupling, the water pump pressurizing the water to create a high-speed waterjet through the exit orifice.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2 further comprising an ultrasonic transducer for modulating a high-speed waterjet to generate a forced pulsed waterjet.

4. The system as claimed in claim 3 wherein a microtip of the ultrasonic transducer is orthogonal to the first and second electrodes and wherein the microtip, the first electrode and the second electrode each terminate in a diverging section.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein a first tip of the first electrode is pointed and a second tip of the second electrode is planar.

6. The system as claimed in claim 4 wherein a first tip of the first electrode is planar and a second tip of the second electrode is planar.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein each electro-discharge nozzle further comprises a reflector disposed at the inlet, the reflector being movable to act as a check valve to admit water into the discharge chamber and to reflect a shockwave generated by the discharge.

8. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first and second electrodes are orthogonal to the exit orifice and wherein the first electrode has a planar tip and the second electrode has a pointed tip.

9. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the first electrode has an axially aligned stem having a forward portion having diverging and converging conical portions for self-sealing against an inner insulating sleeve and wherein the electrode has a bulbous tip.

10. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the vehicle comprises a landmine detector.

11. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the drone is programmed to fly over a predetermined area to seek buried landmines.

12. A method of neutralizing a landmine, the method comprising:

moving a vehicle having a water supply tank, an electrical power supply and an electro-discharge apparatus in proximity to the landmine, wherein the electro-discharge apparatus comprises one or more electro-discharge nozzles each including a discharge chamber that has an inlet for receiving water from the water supply tank and an outlet and a first electrode extending into the discharge chamber and being electrically connected to one or more high-voltage capacitors that are connected to, and chargeable by, the electrical power supply and a second electrode proximate to the first electrode to define a gap between the first and second electrodes;

causing the one or more capacitors to discharge across the gap between the electrodes to create a plasma bubble which expands to form a shockwave that escapes through one or more exit orifices of the one or more nozzles ahead of the plasma bubble to thereby neutralize a landmine;

controlling a drone carrying a landmine detector; and

relaying mine-detection data to a controller of the vehicle.

13. The method as claimed in claim 12 comprising electrically insulating the electro-discharge nozzle from a water pump by an electrically insulating coupling, the water pump pressurizing the water to create a high-speed waterjet through the exit orifice.

14. The method as claimed in claim 13 further comprising modulating a high-speed waterjet using an ultrasonic transducer to generate a forced pulsed waterjet.

15. The method as claimed in claim 14 wherein a microtip of the ultrasonic transducer is orthogonal to the first and second electrodes and wherein the microtip, the first electrode and the second electrode each terminate in a diverging section.

16. The method as claimed in claim 12 comprising disposing a reflector at an inlet of the electro-discharge nozzle, the reflector being movable to act as a check valve to admit water into the discharge chamber and to reflect a shockwave generated by the discharge.

17. The method as claimed in claim 12 comprising disposing the first and second electrodes orthogonally to the exit orifice, wherein the first electrode has a planar tip and the second electrode has a pointed tip.

18. The method as claimed in claim 12 wherein the first electrode has an axially aligned stem having a forward portion having diverging and converging conical portions for self-sealing against an inner insulating sleeve and wherein the electrode has a bulbous tip.

19. The method as claimed in claim 12 comprising disposing on the vehicle a landmine detector.

20. The method as claimed in claim 12 further comprising radio controlling the drone radio by the vehicle.