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Forums - Research / Post-WW2 |
This Post WW2 forum is intended for asking and discussing reference or historical related issues pertaining to any time after WW2 (1945+) subjects. |
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| Subject: | Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars |  |
| Date: | Jul 28, 2007 |
| From: | Arun Bauer | |
The choice of metal doesn't matter, because any metal becomes elctroconductive at temperatures above its melting point.
Copper istn't taken because of its electrical capabilities but for its high density. Gold would be even better.
Actually, in Russian warheads there are other liners used like tantalum or uranium because of their high density and their pyrophoric capabilities, i.e. widely dispersed they burn very well.
Under the high pressure (200 Gigapascal) of the explosive charge, the liner will be compressed and melted producing a jet of liquid metal which protrudes with a speed of about eight to ten kilometres per second(5 - 6 1/4 miles per second).
Back in 1968 another system working with brute force was developped. Thin sheetmetal boxes filled with explosives were mounted on the outsides of armored vehicles. When a grenade with a hollow charge hit such a box, it exploded and drisrupted the jet turning it effectless against the armor. Today this protective system can be overriden with grenades containing tandem hollow charges. Another flaw is its endangering of accompanying infantry.
The system with an electric field built up on the outer surface works differently.
High voltage affects the metal particles and they will be deflected like waterdrops on a Goretex lined surface of a tissue instead of being concentratted into a jet.
Of course, You have to overcome a cuople of problems. If You want short reaction time, supraconducting materials have to be used.
This is tricky, because such materials working at usual environvemntal temperatures are ceramics that are troublesome due to shock resistance, this being an essential issue concerning military hardware.
Then there's a need for power units strong enough, small enough and reliable enough to live up to the rough conditions of armored warfare.
And last but not least there is the insulation which has to be foolproof and resistant to all kinds of environmments and weather.
Maybe that's why we haven't heard much about this new system yet.
I hope my comment is of some help.
Cheers
Arun Bauer |
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 | Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Paul A. Owen - Jul 26, 2007 |
| . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - vincent - Jul 26, 2007 |
| . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Alex Borsboom - Jul 26, 2007 |
| . . . . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Paul A. Owen - Jul 26, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Richard - Jul 26, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Richard Smith - Jul 27, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Alex Borsboom - Jul 27, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Richard Smith - Jul 27, 2007 |
| . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Roderick Lenz - Jul 28, 2007 |
| . . . Re: Electric Armour - right out of Star Wars - Arun Bauer - Jul 28, 2007 |
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