WO2015167384A1

WO2015167384A1 - Device and method for launching warheads at high velocity

Info

Publication number: WO2015167384A1
Application number: PCT/SE2015/000021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lifeng Wang
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-04-30
Filing date: 2015-04-30
Publication date: 2015-11-05
Anticipated expiration: 2016-10-30
Also published as: CN203869588U

Abstract

The invention relates to the field of weapon launching technology, particularly to provide a device for launching warheads at high velocity. Said device includes a flywheel (1), a bearing, a base (19), an energy source unit and a control system. The rim (20) of the flywheel (1) is provided with chambers (3) for loading warheads (2), the flywheel (1) during its rotation process can launch warheads (2) through the chambers (3), the bearing is used to support the rotation of the flywheel (1), the base (19) is used to support the bearing and flywheel (1), the energy source unit is used to drive the flywheel (1) to rotate and recover the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel (1), the control system is used to control each part of the device to collaboratively work. The invention also relates to a method for launching warheads at high velocity.

Description

DEVICE AND METHOD FOR LAUNCHING WARHEADS AT HIGH VELOCITY

Technical field This invention relates to the field of weapon launching technology, particularly to a device for launching warheads at high launched velocity and method thereof.

Background art

1) Projectile launching technologies related to linear acceleration

Cannon is a kind of heavy weapon of over 20 mm caliber, relying on the explosive force of gunpowder to launch projectiles. The cannon technology has a history since ancient times, and also a remarkable progress in modern times, such as, that using a kind of cannon projectiles, termed as rocket assisted cartridge, increases the firing range by20-30%, and that a kind of guided projectiles, which represents the precision-guided technique(terminal guidance), come out. How to increase the muzzle velocity of cannon projectiles has long been under continuous exploration. The_muzzle_velocity of a projectile is the velocity at the moment when the projectile leaves the muzzle, an important indicator to measure the power of cannons. For the same kind of projectiles under other same conditions, the higher muzzle velocity of projectiles, the farther firing range of them, as the cannons relied all upon the work of gunpowder exploding and gas expansion, pushing and launching projectiles straightly along the barrel. For many years, the explorations of increasing the muzzle velocity have been carried out mainly in the aspects of improving the firing area of gunpowder, increasing the dose and burning rate, etc., almost to the extreme. The other way is the extension of the barrel length, along which the high temperature and pressure gas produced from gunpowder exploding pushes the projectile more effectively forward. The so-called 45-caliber Revolution and 52 caliber Revolution have meant the extension of the barrel length to 45 and 52 times of its caliber, respectively. For instance, he Russian 2S5 Self-cannon has a caliber of 152 mm, and barrel length up to 7800 mm. The tank gun in general has got such a ballistic characteristics of cannons as pursuing a high muzzle velocity. As early as in 1950s, the muzzle velocity of tank projectiles reached 1450m/s, 1650m/s in 1960s, and 1750m/s in 1970s. Forty years later, however, it is still hovering around 1800m/s. Experts believe that the performance of traditional cannons has approached the limit, that is, an muzzle velocity of 2000m/s is almost the limit. Since World War II, the missiles have got serious attention from all powers; especially resulting rapidly development of missile technology since late 1980s. A missile advances based on its own propulsion power device, guiding its projectile to the goal, carrying in flight its own engine for track correction, such as some small chemical rockets or some kind of high-pressure gas tank structure with nozzle, capable to eject working substance or gas to correct the track. The launching of missile and its flight speed to be gradually achieved depend on the linear acceleration of missile pushed forward by missile engine. On-site observing the missile ignited to take off, or watching a rocket of hundreds thousands tons launching and "slowly" rising, one can witness such a linear acceleration from a still stand to start to the flight at a gradually increasing speed. According to measurements, the speed reaches about 300m/s within the visible rang, continues to accelerate as fling out of atmosphere, and gradually to higher speeds through continuous pushing by multistage rocket or high-thrust rocket.

Whether one can explore a novel launching approach of non-linear acceleration to launch warheads at high launched velocity. 2) "Spin cast" better than "straight push" in the throwing sport

At the first Olympic Game, the best score of "straight push" in Men's Shot Put was 11.22m, while modern athletes use "spin cast" of rotating 360° to reach 22m. So far almost in all of the throwing events, the "straight push" has been abandoned while "spin cast" taken, except for the javelin as "spin cast" has been prohibited because during training the athletes using "spin cast" threw javelin too far away for the stadium to control the security. Using "spin cast" in discus event, athletes turn540°. More typical is the hammer throw event where although the weight of a hammer is the same as that of a shot (7.26kg), an athlete spinning 4 turns (1440 °) for "spin cast" to reach a score of 82m, almost 4 times of shot put record with one turn, eight times of "straight push" shot record. For the athletes of same physical capability of throwing, "spin cast" can significantly improve the "muzzle velocity" and "range" of throwing objects than those reached through "straight push". In revelation from the throwing sport, the present invention intends to propose a launching device for projectiles of high muzzle velocity, similar to "spin cast".

3) Many examples of spin cast launching

There were "Trebuchets" in ancient weapons, water wheels in agriculture, the bucket projectile machine, dustless projectile machine, slurry bead projectile machine, multi-directional rotary mortar projectile machine in mining machinery, etc. In modern military there are several small-to-medium rotating catapult or cast devices for launching UAV (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle): on a column supporting rod, UAV is held at an end of a rocker arm or wobble arm, and cast at a takeoff speed of less than 50m/s. Different from the technical problems with the cast objects of low-speed to be solved in the past examples, the present invention aims at launching the warheads at high launched velocity; if reaching high launched velocity through rotating, the main technical means relay on the high-speed rotation.

4) The mature technologies related to high-speed rotation

Although these technologies are not directly involved in launching some objects, but can be referred and grafted to the present invention for the technology development of a device for launching warheads at high launched velocity.

(a) In aspects of rotating speed, power and bearings High speed in rotating machinery can refer to: ordinary centrifuge <8000r/min, high-speed centrifuge 8000 ~ 30000r/min, ultracentrifuge 30000 ~ 80000r/min, ultra-high-speed centrifuge > 80000r/min; high-speed motor (i.e., electric spindle, the power driving rotation of other machines) 24000 ~ 80000r/min, maxim up to lOOOOOr/min; and ultra-high-speed magnetic bearings of 150000r/min have been used in industry.

Among those supporting the rotating objects of high speed, currently more advanced are magnetic bearings, with advantages in noncontact, no wear, high-speed and high-precision, which have been successfully applied in more than 300 fields, including high-speed motors, engines, gas turbines, turbines, pumps, fans and compressors. Other types of bearings, through changing the bearing structure, such as, replacing the sliding bearings for rolling bearings, hydrodynamic bearings, gas hydrodynamic bearings to reduce the bearing friction, can also be applied in some of the high-speed rotating machinery.

(b) In aspects of flywheel energy storage, and conversion between kinetic and electric energies "Flywheel" has been used by mankind for thousands years, and as an energy storage element in modern times has entered a more practical stage. In 1992, AFS developed automotive machine - electric battery (EMB), the core of which is a carbon fiber flywheel of 200000r/min, with an extremely high "specific power" (i.e., explosive force), getting a car accelerate from its standing to a speed of lOOkm h within 8 seconds. Japan has made use of the flywheel character of high "specific power" and designed a device for igniting the controlled thermonuclear fusion, with a flywheel in diameter up to 6.45m, height lm and weight 255t, which stored energy equal to that of a train with 150 cars traveling at a speed of lOOkm/h.

The energy stored by a flywheel is related to its mass (weight) and velocity of each point on its body, and can be expressed as: 2 ¹ '

Where∑ stands for "summation", m, the mass of each point on the wheel, and v, the velocity of each point. In 21st century, with progress in materials science, high-strength carbon fibers and glass fibers have appeared to make the allowable maximum speed of flywheel greatly enhanced, increasing the storage of kinetic energy per unit mass; the usage of magnetic bearings, and of a flywheel placed in a vacuum container, has dramatically reduced the energy loss caused by bearing friction and air friction during high-speed rotation of the flywheel.

The conversion between electrical and kinetic energies has also become easier due to the progress in electrical and electronic technologies. No matter under what speed, a flywheel can smoothly convert the kinetic energy of rotation into electrical energy output with stable frequency and voltage; the rotation of a flywheel drives generator to generate electricity to be accumulated in the battery pack.

Contents of the invention ( I ) Technical problems to be solved

The technical problems to be solved by the invention is to provide a device for launching warheads at high launched velocity, the said device can be used to launch warheads at high initial velocity.

( II ) Technical Solutions To solve the above mentioned problem, the invention provides a device for launching warheads at high launched velocity, the said device includes a flywheel, a bearing, a base, an energy source unit and a control system, the rim of the flywheel is provided with the chambers for loading warheads, the flywheel during its rotation process can launch warheads through the chambers; the bearing is used to support the rotation of the flywheel; the base is used to support the bearing and flywheel; the energy source unit is used to drive the flywheel to rotate and recover the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel; the control system is used to control each part of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity to collaboratively work. Preferably, the flywheel is a round wheel in shape, the exterior of the rim of the flywheel is surrounded with a circle of tubular wheel tube, there is a number of chambers distributed uniformly.

Preferably, the interior of the flywheel is supported by several strengthening ribs in a radial arrangement from the center of the flywheel to the peripheral rim, the exterior of the flywheel is covered by a shell with smooth surface, and the flywheel is formed of high-strength low-density composite material.

Preferably, the chamber includes a chamber bottom, a warhead snap-fit mechanism, a underneath-chamber structure and a projection window; the chamber bottom is tangent to the rim of the flywheel, and is used for loading the warhead; the warhead snap-fit mechanism is provided for releasably attaching the warhead on the chamber bottom, and is under the control of the control systemon; the underneath-chamber structure includes a counterweight block and a support spring, the counterweight block is put into the empty chamber by the support spring to keep a relative balanced rotation of the flywheel after the warhead is launched, or for a number of the warheads held above the counterweight block thus the top one is put into the empty chamber successively by the support spring and launched successively and then the counterweight block is put into the empty chamber by the support spring to keep a relative balanced rotation of the flywheel after all of warheads are launched; the projection window is formed on the wall of the wheel tube in up front of the chamber in the direction of launching the warhead, when the projection window is opened through it the warhead can be launched out, the projection window may be opened and closed under the control of the control system.

Preferably, the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity includes also a vacuum vessel , the flywheel may be placed in the vacuum vessel, the vacuum vessel is provided with a valve for vacuumizing, a warhead channel, an air inlet and an air guide pipe, the warhead channel is located corresponding to the projection window. Preferably, flywheel boosters are provided in the wheel tube between the adjacent chambers and used to boost the flywheel rotating; the flywheel boosters are high pressure gas ejectors or small-rocket engines, the ejection direction of them is on the tangent line of the rim of the flywheel, rear windows are provided on the wall of the wheel tube corresponding to the flywheel boosters ejection direction, the rear windows are opened synchronously when the flywheel booster work.

Preferably, the bearing is a magnetic bearing, the stator of the magnetic bearing is fixed on the base; the magnetic bearing is provided with the magnetic bearing control system, which includes a controller, sensors and power amplifiers, the sensors are used to detect the displacement reference signal of the rotor of the flywheel in the process of launching the warheads, and according to the signal the controller may control the power amplifiers adjusting the current change in the electromagnet of the stator of the magnetic bearing to maintain the rotor of the flywheel suspending in a specified position.

Preferably, the bearing is a rolling bearing, a hydrodynamic bearing or an aerodynamic bearing.

Preferably, the energy source unit includes a power assembly, a generator, a storage battery first clutch and second clutch; the power assembly includes a motor and a transmission, the motor is used to drive the flywheel rotating, the transmission may adjust the motor-for-flywheel gear ratio to change the motor-for-flywheel speed ratio and torque ratio; the generator is used to convert the kinetic energy of the flywheel rotating into electric energy to charge the storage battery; the first clutch is located between the flywheel and the power assembly, and the and second clutch is located between the flywheel and the generator, for controlling the connection and disconnection between the flywheel and the power assembly or the generator. Preferably, the base is flexibly connected or permanently fixed to the foundation underneath, a lift, a vehicle, a ship or an aircraft.

Preferably, the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity may launch the warheads or some other payload; the warhead is provided with powder charge, a sharp nose , a tail wing , carrying a rocket engine and or a guidance unit. The invention provides also a method for launching warheads at high launched velocity including the following steps:

51. pre-launching preparation: checking to ensure that the first clutch between flywheel and power assembly, the second clutch between flywheel and generator are both disengaged, adjusting to make sure that the orientation of base and the instruction for launching at a setting angle are in line with a launching plan, and selecting and determining the variety and quantity of the warheads to be launched;

52. Opening the projection window, through it loading the variety and quantity of the warheads to be launched as determined above into respective chambers and then closing the projection window;

53. engaging first clutch between the flywheel and the power assembly, and starting the power assembly to drive the flywheel to rotate and accelerate its rotation;

54. after the flywheel reaches the predetermined rotating speed, giving a instruction for launching at a setting angle immediately, or keeping in combat readiness on duty/standby, namely continuing to maintain the power assembly to drive the flywheel rotating at the predetermined high speed for a period of time until there is a need to launch the warheads;

55. the process of the warhead launching under the control of the control system: opening the projection window as soon as the chamber rotating to the setting angle, controlling the snap-fit mechanism to release and launch out the warhead at the linear velocity of the rim of the flywheel as its launched velocity, closing the projection window, putting the counterweight block into the empty chamber by the support spring to keep a relative balanced rotation of the flywheel;

56. meanwhile in the process of launching the warheads, the sensors of the magnetic bearing control system detects the displacement reference signal of the rotor of the flywheel, the controller of the magnetic bearing control system makes the analytic calculations responding to the displacement reference signal controlling the current change in the electromagnet of the magnetic bearing stator through the power amplifiers to keep the rotor of the flywheel suspending in a specified position;

57. disengaging the first clutch between the flywheel and the power assembly, then engaging the second clutch between the flywheel and the generator, so that the flywheel drives the generator to generate electric power, and the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel is converted into electric energy to charge the storage battery;

58. disengaging the second clutch between the flywheel and the generator after that the flywheel stops rotation, ending the process of launching the warheads;

59. checking the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity to prepare the next circle of operation.

( III ) beneficial effects

In the present invention, the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity when attacking can increase the firing range, shorten the projectile endurance per unit range, improve outburst and penetrability, and cause a larger damage even though a warhead 2 directly hitting on the target at a higher velocity; when defending it is also conducive to track and intercept the incoming object. The device through the rotating flywheel to launch warheads, the friction resistance of the rotating flywheel on the magnetic bearings is almost zero; the air resistance of the rotating flywheel is small because the air resistance is essentially the elastic force of compressed air in front of an object moving forward while the flywheel is round with smooth surface rotating always in an original place without compressing the air in front of it, and as it can be placed in a vacuum container, the air resistance is almost zero. Therefore the force of the motor on the flywheel can be focused on accelerating its rotation, without overcoming friction and air resistance to do extra work, thus saving energy. Meanwhile, because of minimal friction and air resistance, once the flywheel spins, the moment of its inertia maintains its rotating speed not to diminish according to angular momentum conservation theorem. Thus, the motor force acting on the flywheel continues to accelerate its rotating speed as long as the force, whether powerful or not, is greater than both of its friction and air resistance. The energy is efficiently used to continuously increase the rotating speed of the flywheel, reaching a very high speed. Moreover, after launching the warheads, the remaining kinetic energy of the flywheel can be recycled. The present invention has simple structure, superior function, and is very energy-efficient. Description of figures

Fig 1 is a schematic view showing the exterior of the flywheel of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 2 is a schematic view showing the interior of the flywheel of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 3 is a schematic view showing the rim of the flywheel provided with the chambers of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 4 is a schematic view showing the chambers and flywheel boosters distributed uniformly in the wheel tube of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 5 is a schematic sectional view showing the structure of the chamber of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 6 is a schematic view showing the magnetic bearing work principles of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 7 is a schematic view showing the energy supplying and recovering of the flywheel of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 8 is a schematic view showing the setting angle and launching angle of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 9 is a schematic sectional view showing the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig 10 is a schematic sectional view showing the vacuum vessel of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity according to an embodiment of the invention. wherein, 1 :flywheel ;2 :warhead ;3 :chamber ;4 :magnetic bearing ;5 : power assembly ; 6 : generator ;7 : storage battery ; 8 : strengthening rib; 9 : wheel tube ; 10 : chamber bottom ; 11 : projection window ; 12 : snap-fit mechanism ; 13 : underneath-chamber structure ; 14 : chamber centrifugal line ; 15 : counterweight block ; 16 : support spring ; 17 : rotor ; 18 : stator ; 19 : base ; 20 :rim ;21 : first clutch ;22 : second clutch ;23 : controller ;24 : sensor ; 25 : power amplifier ; 26 : setting angle ; 27 : launching angle ; 28 : vacuum vessel ; 29 : valve ; 30 : warhead channel ; 31 : air inlet ; 32 : air guide pipe ; 33 : flywheel booster ; 34 : rear window ;35 :nose ;36 :tail wing ;37 : rotation direction ;38 :motor ;39 :transmission ; 40 : direction of the line tangent ; 41 : ejector nozzle ; 42 : displacement reference signal. Detailed Description of the Embodiment

The implementations of the present invention are further described below in details in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and embodiment. The embodiment below is used to illustrate the present invention, but cannot be used to limit the scope of the present invention. The device for launching warheads at high launched velocity in this embodiment includes flywheel 1, a bearing, base 19, an energy source unit and a control system. The rim 20 of flywheel 1 is provided with chamber 3 for loading warhead 2, and flywheel 1 during its rotation process can launch warhead 2 through chamber 3. The bearing is used to support the rotation of flywheel 1. The base 19 is used to support the bearing and flywheel 1. The energy source unit is used to drive flywheel 1 to rotate and recover the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel 1. The control system is used to control each part of the device for launching warheads 2 at high launched velocity to collaboratively work.

As shown in Figs. 1-10, each part of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity in this embodiment is specified as follows: In Figs. 1-3, flywheel 1 is a round wheel in shape, the interior of the flywheel 1 is supported by several strengthening ribs 8 in a radial arrangement from a central rotating shaft (or the center of flywheel 1) to the peripheral rim 20, the exterior of the flywheel 1 is covered by a shell with smooth surface, the exterior of the rim 20 of the flywheel 1 is surrounded with a circle of tubular wheel tube 9, in which there is a number of chambers 3 distributed uniformly or symmetrically. Flywheel 1 is formed of high-strength low-density composite material. The radius of flywheel 1 is designed upon overall consideration of several factors including the launched velocity of launching warhead 2, the rotation speed of flywheel 1, the linear velocity of rim 20 (equivalent to the launched velocity for launching warhead 2), the launching conditions, and the material of flywheel 1. The flywheel 1 is usually arranged to rotate in the vertical plane, but also otherwise upon need, in the horizontal plane or in a plane at a certain angle to the horizontal plane.

In Figs. 5 and 8, chamber 3 includes chamber bottom 10, warhead snap-fit mechanism 12, underneath-chamber structure 13 and projection window 11. The chamber bottom 10 is a place where warhead 2 to be launched is placed with its warhead facing toward rotating direction 37 of flywheel 1; the chamber bottom 10 is on a line segment CD, the line segment CD is the front-rear longitudinal midline of the chamber bottom 10, termed as chamber bottom line, the chamber bottom line CD is tangent to rim 20 of flywheel l;the line OA connecting the midpoint A of chamber bottom line CD with the center O of flywheel 1, termed as chamber centrifugal line 14, is perpendicular to chamber bottom line CD, namely OAICD. The projection window 11 is set on the wall of wheel tube 9 in the upper front of chamber 3, the projection window 11 may be timely opened and closed under the control of the control system (computer), projection window 11 is opened particularly in case of loading or launching warhead 2 but generally closed otherwise; the warhead 2 can be put into chamber 3 through projection window 11 during warhead loading, and shot out of projection window 11 during warhead launching. The warhead snap-fit mechanism 12 is provided for releasably attaching warhead 2 on chamber bottom 10, and releasing warhead 2 upon receiving a launching instruction. The underneath-chamber structure 13 is set underneath chamber bottom 10, and includes counterweight block 15 and support spring 16, and the underneath-chamber structure 13 may be divided into two categories: one for a single warhead (as shown in Fig. 4) and another for a number of warheads (not shown in the figure but namely a number of warheads held above counterweight block 15). In the case for a ingle warhead, counterweight block 15, slightly heavier than warhead 2, is put into the empty chamber 3 by support spring 16 after the single warhead 2 is launched. In the case for a number of warheads, the warheads 2 held above counterweight block 15 are put into the empty chamber 3 successively by support spring 16 and launched successively, then counterweight block is put rapidly into empty chamber 3 by support spring 16 to keep a relative balanced rotation of flywheel 1 after all of warheads 2 are launched. In Figs 6, 9, and 10, the bearing is magnetic bearing 4 for supporting rotor 17 of flywheel 1 so as to keep flywheel 1 rotating at a high speed without contact and wear. The magnetic bearing 4 keeps the performance of high accuracy positioning of rotor 17 of flywheel 1, and allows the rotor 17 of the flywheel 1 to be stably suspended without changing its position during high-speed rotation of flywheel 1 and in the process of launching warhead 2. A stator 18 of magnetic bearing 4 and its non-rotating part are fixed on base 19. Through the support of base 19 and magnetic bearing 4, flywheel 1 rotates in a certain vertical plane, and may rotate in the horizontal plane or in a plane at a certain plane angle with the horizontal plane when necessary. The magnetic bearing 4 may, when necessary, be replaced with other bearing with a reduced friction force, for example by changing a sliding bearing into a rolling bearing, a hydrodynamic bearing, an aerodynamic bearing or the like through structural transformation.

In Fig. 7, the energy source unit provides the power for rotation of flywheel 1 and recovers the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel 1, and includes power assembly 5, generator 6, storage battery 7, first clutch 21 and second clutch 22. The power assembly 5 includes motor 38, transmission 39 and the like to drive flywheel 1 for rapid rotation. The motor 38 is a high speed motor with rather high power. The transmission 39 may adjust the motor-for-flywheel gear ratio, so that when flywheel 1 start rotating it has a rotation speed lower than that of motor 38 but obtaining a rather large torque being even several times greater than that of motor 38; while during flywheel 1 has been rotating at high-speed it has a torque smaller than that of motor 38 but rotating at an extremely high speed being even several times higher than that of motor 38. The generator 6 is used to convert the kinetic energy of flywheel 1 rotating at a high-speed into electric energy to charge storage battery 7. The first clutch 21 is located between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5, while second clutch 22 is located between flywheel 1 and generator 6, equivalent to two "power switches" for controlling the connection and disconnection between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5/generator 6. By engaging first clutch 21 between the flywheel 1 and the power assembly 5, power assembly 5 drives flywheel 1 to accelerate its rotation, and when flywheel 1 reaches a defined high speed of its rotation warheads 2 are launched immediately; or in combat readiness on duty waiting for launching warheads 2 flywheel 1 continues to maintain high-speed rotation (since flywheel 1 is round with a smooth surface, there are a quite small air resistance of its rotation in the place where it was, and there is almost no friction resistance on magnetic bearing 4, and so the energy consumption of motor 38 is not high when flywheel 1 is kept in high-speed rotation), 5 the launching program is performed when the target is located. After warheads 2 are launched, first clutch 21 between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5 is disengaged, and motor 38 stops. As flywheel 1 remains in rotation at a high speed due to the rotary inertia thereof, by engaging the second clutch 22 between flywheel 1 and generator 6, flywheel 1 drive generator 6 in motion thus converting the kinetic energy of flywheel 1 into electric energy to 10 charge storage battery 7. Wherein, if the kinetic energy of certain flywheels 1 does not have to be recovered, then none of generator 6 and storage battery 7 is mandatorily equiped.

In Figs, 6, 8, and 10, the control system is an electronic computer control system, mainly consisting of a magnetic bearing control system and a warhead launching control system. The magnetic bearing control system is provided on the magnetic bearing 4, including controller

15 23, sensor 24, power amplifier 25 and the like. The controller 23 may timely perform an adjusting operation to respond to the displacement reference signal 42 of rotor 17 of flywheel 1 detected by sensor 24 during high-speed rotation of flywheel 1 and in the process of launching warhead 2, and so control the current change in the electromagnet of stator 18 of magnetic bearing 4 through power amplifier 25 to maintain rotor 17 of flywheel 1 suspending

20 in a specified position. The warhead launching control system includes the controls of opening and closing projection window 11, releasing of the snap-fit mechanism 12 and operating underneath-chamber structure 13, to perform the instruction for launching at a setting angle. The setting angle 26 refers to the angle between chamber centrifugal line (OA) 14 and a horizontal line passing through center O of flywheel 1 ( BOA as shown in Fig. 8),

25 wherein B is the intersection of the extension of chamber bottom line CD and the horizontal line passing through the center O of the flywheel 1 intersect, whereas the actual launching angle 27 of warhead 2 is equivalent to .OBA, which is usually the complementary angle of setting angle 26 (/BOA) and vice versa. When the setting angle 26 is selected within a certain range of 0°-90°, for example, the corresponding launching angle 27 is also selected

30 within the range of 90°-0° (equivalent to a vertical field of fire of 0°-90° for a cannon in artillery terminology). The given instruction for launching at a setting angle 26 is executed only when chamber 3 is rotated to the selected setting angle 26 during the high speed rotation. Particularly, the launching instruction is correlated with the fact that chamber 3 is rotated to this setting angle 26 specified in the program design, otherwise the launching instruction is unacceptable when chamber 3 has been rotated beyond this setting angle 26. The launching angle 27 may be a bit larger for a remote target, because the air resistance occurs mainly in the troposphere less than 10-12 km from the ground as the atmosphere around earth becomes 5 thinner gradually toward its outside. A large launching angle 27 makes warhead 2 early arrive and rapidly fly at the height with less (or even no) air resistance to have a rather far range fire, whereas launching angle 27 may be a bit smaller for a nearer horizontal target, because the launched velocity of warhead 2 is too high for the air resistance to affect warhead 2 flying and hitting its target. The launching instruction may be specified for single-launching or

10 multi-launching. The control system in chamber 3 receives the instruction and launches warhead 2, i.e. projection window 11 is opened, the snap-fit mechanism 12 is releasing of attaching warhead 2, and warhead 2 is released and launched at its linear velocity instantaneously obtained as launched velocity in direction 40 of the line, passing through the releasing point, tangent to rim 20 of flywheel 1. It can be understood that, even if the linear

15 velocity of warhead 2 reaches the first cosmic velocity, it is only one ten thousandth of the electron running speed, the electronic computer system can precisely control opening and closing of projection window 11 and operation of snap-fit mechanism 12 and underneath-chamber structure 13, releasing and launching of warheads 2.

In Fig. 9, base 19 is flexibly connected or permanently fixed to the foundation underneath 20 (not shown in the figure). The orientation of base 19 corresponds to the direction in which flywheel 1 rotates to launch warhead 2, and may be selected according to the actual requirements in the horizontal range of 360° (equivalent to a traverse range of 360° for a cannon in artillery terminology), and positioning the orientation of base 19 may be on a temporary or long-term basis. By combining the orientation of base 19 with the setting angle 25 26 or launching angle 27 in the launching instruction, the launching direction of warhead 2 is determined. The base 19 may also be fixed in some kind of lift, and placed at the bottom of a launching silo at peacetime, or lifted above the silo at wartime. The base 19 may also be mounted on a mobile carrier to make a vehicle-borne, ship-borne or airborne launching. The power assembly 5, generator 6 and the like may be mounted on the base, nearby facilities, or 30 a vehicle, ship, or aircraft.

In Fig. 10, flywheel 1 may be placed in a vacuum vessel 28 to further reduce the friction with air in high-speed rotation. One side of vacuum vessel 28 is provided with a valve 29 for vacuumizing. A warhead channel 30 is provided in the place where the wall of vacuum vessel 28 and the flight path of the launched warhead 2 coincide, and an air inlet 31 and an air guide pipe 32 are provided below the vacuum vessel 28. At the moment before launching warhead 2, air inlet 31 is first opened under the control of the launching control system, air ruches into vacuum vessel 28 in the rotation direction 37 of flywheel 1 along air guide pipe 32 through air inlet 31, and warhead channel 30 is automatically opened for warhead 2 to pass through subsequently almost at the same time as warhead 2 is launched. After warhead 2 is launched, air inlet 31 and warhead channel 30 are closed, and vacuum vessel 28 is vacuumized through valve 29. Furthermore, some structures of flywheel 1 placed in vacuum vessel 28 may, when necessary, be slightly changed, for example closed wheel tube 20 may be open to place the payload or warhead 2 to be launched, because air resistance is not a problem without air any longer in the vacuum vessel 28.

In Figs. 3, and 4, interval section wheel tube 9 between adjacent chambers 3 is either empty or equipped with a flywheel booster 33. The flywheel booster 33 is a high pressure gas ejector, and the direction in which the high pressure gas is ejected out of ejector nozzle 41 is opposite to rotation direction 37 of flywheel 1, along the tangent line of rim 20 of flywheel 1 with nozzle 41 as the point of tangency. The wall of wheel tube 9 corresponding to the ejection direction of high pressure gas is equipped with a rear window 34, usually closed, but synchronously opened when booster 33 works. In a safe, open environment around some flywheels 1 booster 33 may also be a small rocket engine, timely starting to work before launching warhead 2 under the control of the launching control system to enhance the rotation speed of flywheel 1 for further increasing the launched velocity of warhead 2.

In Fig. 5, the structure and function of warhead 2 are similar to those of a cannonball or missile warhead (powder charge in the warhead). The warhead 2 has a sharp nose 35 to reduce the air resistance when flying in air, and a tail wing 36 to stabilize the flight direction, and can be similar to a rocket-assisted cartridge carrying a rocket engine itself to add a thrust force for increasing the range, and to a guided cannonball carrying a guidance unit, to precisely guide its targeting during the final stage of its flying, matched with the guidance system corresponding to the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity. The warhead 2 may be the same target damaging energy as that of a cannonball or missile battle charge, and equipped with control and defense penetration systems. In addition, the device may also launch some of other payloads as required. A method for launching warheads 2 at high launched velocity may be implemented to operate the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity illustrated in this embodiment, including the following steps:

51. pre-launching preparation: checking to ensure that the first clutch 21 between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5, the second clutch 22 between flywheel 1 and generator 6 are both disengaged, adjusting to make sure that the orientation of base 19 and the instruction for launching at a setting angle are in line with a launching plan, and selecting and determining the variety and quantity of warheads 2 to be launched;

52. opening projection window 11, through it loading the variety and quantity of warheads 2 to be launched as determined above into respective chambers 3 and then closing projection window 11;

53. engaging first clutch 21 between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5, and starting power assembly 5 to drive flywheel 1 to rotate and accelerate its rotation until reaching a predetermined rotating speed; S4. after flywheel 1 reaches the predetermined rotating speed, giving a instruction for launching at a setting angle immediately, or keeping in combat readiness on duty/standby, namely continuing to maintain power assembly 5 to drive flywheel 1 rotating at the predetermined high speed for a period of time until an instruction for launching at setting angle is given when the target appears; S5. executing the given launching instruction, under the control of the launching control system: opening projection window 11 as soon as chamber 3 (loaded with warhead 2) rotating to the setting angle 26 (namely corresponding to launching angle 27), controlling snap-fit mechanism 12 to release warhead 2 being launched out at the linear velocity of rim 20 of flywheel 1 as its launched velocity, and after warhead 2 is launched, putting counterweight block 15 into the empty chamber 3 by support spring 16; in case of a number of warheads 2 loaded above support spring 16, putting the warhead 2 on top into empty chamber 3 successively by support spring 16 and launching, after warheads 2 are all launched, putting the counterweight block 15 into the empty chamber 3 by support spring 16; and then closing the projection window 11; 56. timely performing, by controller 23 of the magnetic bearing control system, an adjusting operation to respond to the displacement reference signal 42 of the rotor 17 of the flywheel 1 detected by sensor 24 in the process of launching warhead 2, and controlling the current change in the electromagnet of stator 18 of magnetic bearing 4 trough power amplifier 25 to maintain rotor 17 of flywheel 1 suspending in a specified position;

57. disengaging the first clutch 21 between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5, so that flywheel 1 is no longer driven by motor 38 but still has rather great rotary inertia at a quite high rotating speed; then engaging the second clutch 22 between flywheel 1 and generator 6, so that flywheel 1 drives generator 6 to rotate and generate electric power, resulting in converting the rotational kinetic energy of flywheel 1 into electrical energy to charge storage battery 7;

58. with the rotation of the flywheel 1 slowing down the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel 1 is continuously converted into electric energy, until the kinetic energy owned by the flywheel 1 is all converted into electric power which charges the storage battery 7 the flywheel 1 stops rotating, then disengaging the second clutch 22 between flywheel 1 and generator 6;

59. checking the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity to prepare the next circle of operation; wherein base 19 at the bottom of the launching silo together with the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity is lifted above the silo at the launching preparation stage SI; alternatively, the corresponding preparation may also be made at the SI launching preparation stage for the vehicle-borne or ship-borne launching devices on a vehicle or ship according to the situation of the vehicle and ship; wherein in the case where a flywheel booster 33 is equipped in interval section of wheel tube 9 between adjacent chambers 3, at the moment before the instruction for launching at setting angle is given in the step S5 after flywheel 1 reaches the predetermined rotating speed in the step S4, under the control of the launching control system, rear window 34 is opened, the booster 33 starts to boost flywheel 1 to reach a higher rotating speed for further increasing the launched velocity of warhead 2, the booster 33 stops work and the instruction for launching at setting angle is given subsequently; then rear window 34 is closed; wherein in the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity with a vacuum vessel 28, at the moment before warhead 2 is launched in the step S5, under the control of the launching control system, air inlet 31 is opened, air ruches into vacuum vessel 28 in rotation direction 37 of flywheel 1 along air guide pipe 32, warhead channel 30 is automatically opened; after warhead 2 is launched therethrough, air inlet 31 and warhead channel 30 are closed, and vacuum vessel 28 is vacuumized through valve 29; wherein in the case where the kinetic energy for some flywheels 1 does not have to be recovered, without generator 6 and storage battery 7 to be equipped, after first clutch 21 between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5 is disengaged in the step S7, flywheel 1 slows down and stops rotating, the step S9 is directly entered.

The device described in the present invention launches warhead 2 at high launched velocity by using the rotating flywheel 1, and may, during attack, increase the range of warhead 2, shorten the flying time of unit-range of warhead 2 and enhance the suddenness and defense penetration of warhead 2 (the warhead 2 has a high velocity even directly hitting the target, the resultant damage is big consequently). During defense, due to the high launched velocity, it is helpful for the warhead 2 to trace and interrupt an incoming target. In the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity in the present invention, the rotating frictional resistance of the flywheel 1 on the magnetic bearing is almost zero. The air resistance is essentially an elastic force of the compressed air in front of an object when moving forward. The flywheel 1 is round in shape, with a smooth surface, rotating in the place where it was, does not much compress the air in front of it, so that the air resistance is quite small; furthermore, the flywheel 1 may additionally be placed in a vacuum vessel 28, so that the air resistance is also almost zero. The force applied by the motor 38 to the flywheel 1 can be mostly used for accelerating the rotation of the flywheel 1, with no need of doing extra work in order to overcome the frictional resistance and air resistance so as to save the energy. Meanwhile, since the frictional resistance and air resistance are minimal, once the flywheel 1 rotates, according to the law of conservation of angular momentum, the rotary inertia that the flywheel 1 has keeps its rotating speed not reduced, so no matter how much force the motor 38 uses on the flywheel 1, so long as it is greater than its frictional resistance and air resistance, it has the effect of further accelerating the rotating speed of the flywheel 1, the energy is effectively used to further increase the rotating speed of the flywheel 1. The remaining kinetic energy of the flywheel 1 can be also recovered after the warhead 2 is launched.

The embodiment of the present invention is given for purposes of illustration and description, but is not used to exhaustively limit the invention to the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment is chosen and described in order to better explain the principles and practical applications of the present invention and enable those of ordinary skill in the art to understand the present invention to design various embodiments with various modifications which are suited to the particular use.

Claims

Claim 1, a device for launching warheads at high launched velocity , characterized in that, the device includes a flywheel 1, a bearing, a base 19, an energy source unit and a control system; the rim 20 of the flywheel 1 is provided with the chambers 3 for loading warheads 2 and the flywheel 1 during its rotation process can launch warheads 2 through the chambers 3; the bearing is used to support the rotation of the flywheel 1; the base 19 is used to support the bearing and flywheel 1; the energy source unit is used to drive the flywheel 1 to rotate and recover the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel 1; the control system is used to control each part of the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity to collaboratively work.

Claim 2, a device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the flywheel 1 is a round wheel in shape, the rim 20 of the flywheel is surrounded with a circle of tubular wheel tube 9, in which there is a number of chambers 3 distributed uniformly.

Claim 3, a device according to claim 2, characterized in that, the interior of the flywheel 1 is supported by several strengthening ribs 8 in a radial arrangement from the center of the flywheel 1 to the peripheral rim 20, the exterior of the flywheel 1 is covered by a shell with smooth surface, and the flywheel 1 is formed of high-strength low-density composite material.

Claim 4, a device according to claim 2, characterized in that, the chamber 3 includes chamber bottom 10, warhead snap-fit mechanism 12, underneath-chamber structure 13 and projection window 11; the chamber bottom 10 is tangent to the rim 20 of the flywheel 1, and is used for loading the warhead 2; the warhead snap-fit mechanism 12 is provided for releasably attaching the warhead 2 on the chamber bottom 10,and is under the control of the control system; the underneath-chamber structure 13 includes a counterweight block 15 and a support spring 16, the counterweight block 15 is put into the empty chamber 3 by the support spring 16 after the warhead 2 is launched, or for a number of the warheads 2 held above the counterweight block 15 thus the top one is put into the empty chamber 3 successively by the support spring 16 and launched successively and then the counterweight block 15 is put into the empty chamber 3 by the support spring 16 after all of the warheads 2 are launched; the projection window 11 is set on the wall of wheel tube 9 in the direction of launching the warhead 2 from its chamber 3, when the projection window 11 is opened through it the warhead 2 can be launched out, the projection window 11 may be timely opened and closed under the control of the control system.

Claim 5, a device according to claim 4, characterized in that, the device contains a vacuum vessel 28 in which the flywheel 1 is placed, and which are equipped with a valve 29 for vacuumizing, a warhead channel 30, an air inlet 31 and an air guide pipe 32, the warhead channel 30 is placed to correspond to the position of the projection window 11.

Claim 6, a device according to claim 2, characterized in that, flywheel boosters 33 are provided between adjacent chambers 3 in the wheel tube 9, and used to boost the flywheel 1 rotating; the flywheel boosters 33 are high pressure gas ejectors or a small-rocket engines, the ejection direction of them is on the tangent line of the rim 20 of the flywheel 1; rear windows 34 are provided on the wall of the wheel tube 9 corresponding to the flywheel boosters 33 ejection direction, the rear windows 34 are opened synchronously when the flywheel booster 33 work.

Claim 7, a device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the bearing is a magnetic bearing 4, the stator 18 of the magnetic bearing 4 is fixed on the base 19; the magnetic bearing 4 is provided with the magnetic bearing control system, which includes a controller 23, sensors 24 and power amplifiers 25, the sensors 24 are used to detect the displacement reference signal 42 of the rotor 17 of the flywheel 1 in the process of launching the warheads 2, and according to the signal the controller 23 may control the power amplifiers 25 adjusting the current change in the electromagnet of the stator 18 of the magnetic bearing 4 to maintain the rotor 17 of the flywheel 1 suspending in a specified position.

Claim 8, a device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the bearing is a rolling bearing, a hydrodynamic bearing or an aerodynamic bearing.

Claim 9, a device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the energy source unit includes a power assembly 5, a generator 6, a storage battery 7 first clutch 21 and second clutch 22; the power assembly 5 includes a motor 38 and a transmission 39, the motor 38 is used to drive the flywheel 1 rotating, the transmission 39 may adjust the motor-for-flywheel gear ratio to change the motor-for-flywheel speed ratio and torque ratio; the generator 6 is used to convert the kinetic energy of the flywheel 1 rotating into electric energy to charge the storage battery 7; the first clutch 21 is located between the flywheel 1 and the power assembly 5, and the and second clutch 22 is located between the flywheel 1 and the generator 6, for controlling the connection and disconnection between the flywheel 1 and the power assembly 5 or the generator 6.

Claim 10, a device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the base 19 is flexibly connected or permanently fixed to the foundation underneath, a lift, a vehicle, a ship or an aircraft.

Claim 11, a device according to claim 1, characterized in that, the device for launching warheads at high launched velocity may launch the warheads 2 or some other payload; the warhead 2 is provided with powder charge, a sharp nose 35 , a tail wing 36 , carrying a rocket engine and/or a guidance unit.

Claim 12, a method for launching warheads at high launched velocity, characterized in that, it includes the following steps:

51. pre-Iaunching preparation: checking to ensure that the first clutch 21 between flywheel 1 and power assembly 5, the second clutch 22 between flywheel 1 and generator 6 are both disengaged, adjusting to make sure that the orientation of base 19 and the instruction for launching at a setting angle are in line with a launching plan, and selecting and determining the variety and quantity of the warheads 2 to be launched;

52. opening the projection window 11, through it loading the variety and quantity of the warheads 2 to be launched into respective chambers 3 and then closing the projection window 11;

53. engaging first clutch 21 between the flywheel 1 and the power assembly 5, and starting the power assembly 5 to drive the flywheel 1 to rotate and accelerate its rotation;

54. after the flywheel 1 reaches the predetermined rotating speed, launching the warheads 2 immediately, or keeping in combat readiness on duty/standby, namely continuing to maintain the power assembly 5 to drive the flywheel 1 rotating at the predetermined high speed until there is a need to launch the warheads 2.

55. the launching control system controls the launching of the warheads 2 in a process: opening the projection window 11 as soon as the chamber 3 rotates to the setting angle 26, controlling the snap-fit mechanism 12 to release and launch out the warhead 2 at the linear velocity of the rim 20 of the flywheel 1 as its launched velocity, closing the projection window 11, putting the counterweight block 15 into the empty chamber 3 by the support spring 16 to keep a relative balanced rotation of the flywheel 1;

56. meanwhile in the process of launching the warheads 2, the sensors 24 of the magnetic bearing control system detects the displacement reference signal 42 of the rotor 17 of the flywheel 1, the controller 23 of the magnetic bearing control system makes the analytic calculations responding to the displacement reference signal 42 controlling the current change in the electromagnet of the magnetic bearing stator 18 through the power amplifiers 25 to keep the rotor 17 of the flywheel 1 suspending in a specified position;

57. disengaging the first clutch 21 between the flywheel 1 and the power assembly 5, then engaging the second clutch 22 between the flywheel 1 and the generator 6, so that the flywheel 1 drives the generator 6 to generate electric power, resulting in converting the rotational kinetic energy of the flywheel 1 into electrical energy to charge the storage battery 7;

58. disengaging the second clutch 22 between the flywheel 1 and the generator 6 after that the flywheel 1 stops rotation, ending the process of launching the warheads 2;

59. checking the device to prepare the next circle of operation.