MECHANICS OF THE IMPULSIVE WATER CANNON

An impulsive water cannon is a machine for converting low to high power kinetic energy. Specifically, a column of liquid is accelerated to moderate velocity by direct application of gas pressure, or via the action of an intermediate free piston, and is then directed into a converging nozzle of appropriate design. The function of the nozzle is to redistribute the initially more or less uniform energy content of the column such that a small mass fraction of the forward or leading end contains, at discharge, essentially all the energy. The jet stagnation pressure thus derived can be many times the strength of even the hardest rock materials and can thus serve as a useful tool for excavation, tunneling, mining and a variety of other industrial applications. A model is proposed to describe the operating characteristics of the impulsive water cannon. The important parameters governing the system dynamics are identified and the influence of these on performance is studied with the aid of a unique finite-difference code. The algorithm upon which this code is based is described as are its principal features. The results of the calculations are compared with recently developed incompressible theory and with experiment.

• Corporate Authors:

  Pergamon Press, Incorporated

  Maxwell House, Fairview Park
  Elmsford, NY  United States  10523
• Authors:
  • Glenn, L A
• Publication Date: 1975-6

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 197-215
• Serial:
  • Computers and Fluids
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue Number: 2/3
  • Publisher: Pergamon Press, Incorporated

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Algorithms; Excavation; Flow; Hydrodynamics; Jet propelled aircraft; Kinetic energy; Mathematical models; Mechanics; Mining; Performance; Power; Streamflow; Tunneling; Water; Water cannons
• Uncontrolled Terms: Conversion; Jets; Models
• Old TRIS Terms: Tunnel excavation
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Construction; Energy; Highways; Hydraulics and Hydrology; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00152779
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM