Acoustic/shock wave attenuating assembly
DCFirst Claim
1. An assembly for attenuating pressure conditions including shock waves and comprisinga flowable attenuating medium exhibiting aqueous foam characteristics, namely the ability of acting in the nature of a liquid mass to resist relative displacement by surface tension and viscous forces and the ability to substantially scatter and disperse pressure conditions transmitting therethrough by virtue of multitudinous curved surfaces between phases, and enabling the generation of turbulent flow fields by transmitting pressure conditions,the flowable attenuating medium comprising solid particulates having bulk mechanical properties and flow properties of a fluid, namely the ability of acting in the nature of a liquid mass to resist relative displacement by surface tension and viscous forces and the ability to substantially scatter and disperse pressure conditions transmitting therethrough by virtue of multitudinous curved surfaces dividing gaseous and solid or liquid and solid phases, and enabling the generation of turbulent flow fields by transmitting pressure conditions,confinement means for containing and supporting the flowable attenuating medium, the combination of the confinement means and flowable attenuating medium being arranged for intercepting the pressure conditions to be attenuated, the confinement means being porous with respect to the pressure conditions for allowing the pressure conditions to penetrate the flowable attenuating medium, the porous confinement means also causing substantial pressure decrease of pressure conditions penetrating the porous confinement means, andmeans associated with the solid particulates for enhancing their resistance to relative displacement and thereby causing the solid particulates to better simulate characteristics of an aqueous foam.
5 Assignments
Litigations
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An acoustic/shock wave attenuating assembly comprised of porous screens forms an enclosure filled with a suitable pressure wave attenuating medium or material having fluid characteristics. This basic configuration can be suspended or held in place by a rigid structure. When the pressure attenuating medium is a liquid, the attenuating assembly is provided with a lining for containment. Multiple attenuating assemblies can be employed, with adjacent attenuating assemblies separated by a small gap. The pressure attenuating medium may be a liquid, a gas emulsion, an aqueous foam, or a gel (with or without entrained gas). Alternatively, solid particulates having bulk mechanical properties of a fluid may be employed as the pressure wave attenuating medium and may have an adhesive or the like resisting relative movement between particulates to simulate viscous effects. Elements of the assembly may incorporate materials which absorb thermal energy through endothermic chemical reactions, such as intumescent materials, to enhance the pressure attenuating effect.
78 Citations
29 Claims
-
1. An assembly for attenuating pressure conditions including shock waves and comprising
a flowable attenuating medium exhibiting aqueous foam characteristics, namely the ability of acting in the nature of a liquid mass to resist relative displacement by surface tension and viscous forces and the ability to substantially scatter and disperse pressure conditions transmitting therethrough by virtue of multitudinous curved surfaces between phases, and enabling the generation of turbulent flow fields by transmitting pressure conditions, the flowable attenuating medium comprising solid particulates having bulk mechanical properties and flow properties of a fluid, namely the ability of acting in the nature of a liquid mass to resist relative displacement by surface tension and viscous forces and the ability to substantially scatter and disperse pressure conditions transmitting therethrough by virtue of multitudinous curved surfaces dividing gaseous and solid or liquid and solid phases, and enabling the generation of turbulent flow fields by transmitting pressure conditions, confinement means for containing and supporting the flowable attenuating medium, the combination of the confinement means and flowable attenuating medium being arranged for intercepting the pressure conditions to be attenuated, the confinement means being porous with respect to the pressure conditions for allowing the pressure conditions to penetrate the flowable attenuating medium, the porous confinement means also causing substantial pressure decrease of pressure conditions penetrating the porous confinement means, and means associated with the solid particulates for enhancing their resistance to relative displacement and thereby causing the solid particulates to better simulate characteristics of an aqueous foam.
-
12. A flexible attenuating panel for attenuating pressure conditions including shock waves and comprising
multitudinous solid particulates generally having a dimension of at least 1 millimeter, the solid particulates having an entrained gaseous phase, and filamentary material forming a matrix for the solid particulates, the filamentary material having mechanical integrity for providing confinement of the solid particulates in the matrix of filamentary material while allowing the solid particulates to be relatively displaced by interaction with the pressure conditions whereby the panel is capable of scattering and dispersing pressure conditions passing therethrough.
Specification