Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to oxidative opening switches and related methods, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes a switch assembly including a first terminal, a second terminal, and an oxidative switch element in electrical communication with the first terminal and the second terminal, the switch element comprising a conductive material and an oxidizer, the switch element configured to interrupt electrical communication between the first terminal and the second terminal as a result of an oxidation reaction between the conductive material and the oxidizer. In an embodiment, the invention includes a fast opening switch for pulse power applications. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to oxidative opening switches and related methods, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes a switch assembly including a first terminal, a second terminal, and an oxidative switch element in electrical communication with the first terminal and the second terminal, the switch element comprising a conductive material and an oxidizer, the switch element configured to interrupt electrical communication between the first terminal and the second terminal as a result of an oxidation reaction between the conductive material and the oxidizer. In an embodiment, the invention includes a fast opening switch for pulse power applications. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to oxidative opening switches and related methods, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes a switch assembly including a first terminal, a second terminal, and an oxidative switch element in electrical communication with the first terminal and the second terminal, the switch element comprising a conductive material and an oxidizer, the switch element configured to interrupt electrical communication between the first terminal and the second terminal as a result of an oxidation reaction between the conductive material and the oxidizer. In an embodiment, the invention includes a fast opening switch for pulse power applications. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are related to oxidative opening switches and related methods, amongst other things. In an embodiment, the invention includes a switch assembly including a first terminal, a second terminal, and an oxidative switch element in electrical communication with the first terminal and the second terminal, the switch element comprising a conductive material and an oxidizer, the switch element configured to interrupt electrical communication between the first terminal and the second terminal as a result of an oxidation reaction between the conductive material and the oxidizer. In an embodiment, the invention includes a fast opening switch for pulse power applications. Other aspects and embodiments are provided herein.

Abstract: Circuitry for a node of an optical communication network has a mux and/or a demux. In one embodiment, the circuitry has a mux and a demux implemented on a single circuit board, where (1) the mux is configured to combine up to eight different incoming OC3/OC12-rate electrical signals into a single outgoing OC48-rate electrical signal for conversion into two copies of an outgoing OC48 optical signal and (2) the demux is configured to split a working incoming OC48-rate electrical signal (selected from two incoming OC48-rate electrical signals converted from two incoming OC48 optical signals) into up to eight different outgoing OC3/OC12-rate electrical signals. The node is configured to perform automatic signal provisioning, which may be (a) the addition of a new OC3/OC12 signal; (b) the deletion of an existing OC3/OC12 signal; (c) the rate-upgrading of an existing OC3 signal to an OC12 signal; or (d) the rate-downgrading of an existing OC12 signal to an OC3 signal.

Abstract: Prills of ammonium dinitramide (ADN) are prepared by melting this salt with a stabilizer and, by dry nitrogen pressure, injecting the molten salt i an inert, perfluorinated carrier liquid of greater specific gravity which, initially, is above the solidification temperature of the salt. The molten salt and carrier liquid pass together in turbulent flow through a heated conduit in which stationary vanes disperse the salt into droplets. The liquid and salt then pass in turbulent flow through a cooled conduit for solidification of the salt into prills without agglomeration. The prills are then separated from the liquid by flotation and any liquid carried with the prills recycled. The main flow of carrier liquid is pumped through a preheater and then back to the molten salt injector. The cooled conduit is provided with compression refrigeration, the refrigerant passing in parallel flow along the conduit and the compressed refrigerant passing to the preheater before condensation.

Abstract: Prills are prepared by melting a salt and introducing the molten salt into carrier liquid. Oxidizing salts of ammonia, ammonium nitrate (AN) and ammonium dinitramide (ADN) are melted with a stabilizer and introduced by dry nitrogen pressure into an inert, perfluorinated carrier liquid of greater specific gravity than the molten salts. In a first embodiment, the carrier liquid is quiescent and below the salt solidification temperature so that prills solidify from drops of the salt rising through a column which substantially retains the liquid. In a second and continuous embodiment, the carrier liquid is initially above the solidification temperature, and the salt is injected into the moving liquid which passes with the molten salt in turbulent flow through a heated conduit, in which stationary vanes disperse the salt into droplets, and then through a cooled conduit for solidification of the salt into prills without agglomeration.

Abstract: A hybrid gun propellant containing an oxidizer rich liquid monopropellant d an oxidizer deficient single based solid propellant.

Abstract: A mixture of aqueous nitric acid (about 90 volume percent HNO.sub.3 and 10 volume percent H.sub.2 O) and Decalin are used as a propellant for a liquid propellant gun.

Abstract: A light detector with level shift and shaped pulse is obtained by circuitry hich provides both short turn off time and high sensitivity. The phototransistor does not provide the reference signal until nearly at maximum output.

Abstract: A composition of matter consisting essentially of a polar fuel, a particue gelling agent and a mixture of two polyfunctional alcohols, one having an ether linkage and the other having no ether linkage. The composition is useful as a fuel for a fuel air explosive device.

Abstract: A liquid propellant gun and gun loading process wherein a predetermined ant of a gas is intimately mixed with the propellant charge.

Abstract: Measurement and correlation of chamber pressure and projectile position d is accomplished using an array of phototransistors, illuminated by collimated light, which phototransistors are sequentially switched off due to the interruption of the collimated light by the passing projectile. Pulses generated thereby may be displayed on an oscilloscope along with the pressure-time trace.

Abstract: Nitric acid and n-octane are injected into a gun and utilized to propel pectiles.

Abstract: An improvement to a liquid propellant gun system wherein a hydrocarbon used n conjunction with nitric acid is predominantly the exo form of tetrahydrodicyclopentadiene and/or its methyl or dimethyl or ethyl derivatives or a mixture thereof. Other suitable hydrocarbons are as follows: a mixture of trans-syn-2-methyldecalin and trans-anti-1-methyldecalin, trans-perhydroacenaphthene and perhydrofluorene.