Abstract: The apparatus and method disclosed herein relates to the generation of primary and fuel-enriched plasma to provide ignition and delivery for large amounts of electrical and electrothermal power to a propellant mass. Particularly, the present invention enables the creation of zones of controlled combustion by initially incubating primary plasma in a capillary chamber and mixing the primary plasma with fuel in a fuel chamber thus creating a fuel-enriched plasma. The primary plasma and the fuel-enriched plasma are segregatively, collectively and substantially simultaneously injected into the propellant mass via outlet ports and nozzles. The capillary and fuel chambers, and the nozzles and outlet ports undergo staged disintegration at reaching predetermined pressures and temperatures and are thereby consumed in the combustion process.

Abstract: The apparatus and method disclosed herein relates to axially aligned electrical contacts which connect a high electrical power pulse forming network to an electrothermal ammunition integrated plasma injector in a combustion augmented plasma gun for launching projectiles thereof. The contacts transfer high energy, intermittent pulses without arcing because structure provides for axially preloading the contacts to reduce contact resistance, for axially stiffening the contacts to eliminate contact bounce and for providing complementary conical contact surfaces to facilitate a high current density transfer.