Comments

You must log in or register to comment.

ethereal3xp OP t1_jcs2uj3 wrote

>Turning gas into plasma creates an intense electrical current for powering potent hypersonic weapons.

>Chinese researchers built a hypersonic generator that could power military lasers, rail guns, and microwave weapons.

>The relative compact nature of the hypersonic generator opens the scope of potential uses.

Chinese scientists say one formidable explosion inside a shock tunnel can turn hot gas into the most powerful hypersonic generator a military has ever seen—strong enough to charge military lasers, rails guns, microwave weapons, and more.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, a new peer-reviewed paper in the Chinese Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics explains how the hypersonic generator turns one detonation inside a shock tunnel into enough electrical current to power hypersonic weapons of the future.

The Chinese scientists were able to use a controlled detonation to turn hot gas into a plasma filled with racing ions, which converted to current. With shock waves accelerating the compressed argon gas to 14 times the speed of sound, the charged ion-filled plasma then passed through magnetohydrodynamics generators to produce electric current up to 212 kilowatts while using.26 gallons of gas. That’s enough power for a burst of energy unlike anything available now in a compact system.

“It has a large capacity and high efficiency," the scientists write, via the SCMP. “There is no need for intermediate energy storage components. The energy can be directly transferred to the load without a high-power switch. And the device can start up quickly.” The generator also has no rotating parts, increasing efficiency and ease of use.

With some of the largest weapons in development requiring a gigawatt of input power, the researchers say they can produce that with 177 cubic feet of hypersonic plasma (that’s smaller than most vans).

China isn’t ready to deploy the new system just yet. There are plenty of logistical hurdles to sort out in how to transport a device that requires controlled detonation, and just how to handle the gas needed for a second charge when on the move. Still, if the next iteration of the science offers up an automated reloading of the technology, China’s hypersonic weapons just got a colossal burst of power.

0

TactlesslyTactful t1_jcs4dmk wrote

>As reported by the South China Morning Post, a new peer-reviewed paper in the Chinese Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics explains

Pfffffffff

No thanks

25

FuturologyBot t1_jcs6e7x wrote

The following submission statement was provided by /u/ethereal3xp:

>Turning gas into plasma creates an intense electrical current for powering potent hypersonic weapons.

>Chinese researchers built a hypersonic generator that could power military lasers, rail guns, and microwave weapons.

>The relative compact nature of the hypersonic generator opens the scope of potential uses.

Chinese scientists say one formidable explosion inside a shock tunnel can turn hot gas into the most powerful hypersonic generator a military has ever seen—strong enough to charge military lasers, rails guns, microwave weapons, and more.

As reported by the South China Morning Post, a new peer-reviewed paper in the Chinese Journal of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics explains how the hypersonic generator turns one detonation inside a shock tunnel into enough electrical current to power hypersonic weapons of the future.

The Chinese scientists were able to use a controlled detonation to turn hot gas into a plasma filled with racing ions, which converted to current. With shock waves accelerating the compressed argon gas to 14 times the speed of sound, the charged ion-filled plasma then passed through magnetohydrodynamics generators to produce electric current up to 212 kilowatts while using.26 gallons of gas. That’s enough power for a burst of energy unlike anything available now in a compact system.

“It has a large capacity and high efficiency," the scientists write, via the SCMP. “There is no need for intermediate energy storage components. The energy can be directly transferred to the load without a high-power switch. And the device can start up quickly.” The generator also has no rotating parts, increasing efficiency and ease of use.

With some of the largest weapons in development requiring a gigawatt of input power, the researchers say they can produce that with 177 cubic feet of hypersonic plasma (that’s smaller than most vans).

China isn’t ready to deploy the new system just yet. There are plenty of logistical hurdles to sort out in how to transport a device that requires controlled detonation, and just how to handle the gas needed for a second charge when on the move. Still, if the next iteration of the science offers up an automated reloading of the technology, China’s hypersonic weapons just got a colossal burst of power.

Please reply to OP's comment here: https://old.reddit.com/r/Futurology/comments/11v9d7z/china_built_a_hypersonic_generator_that_could/jcs2uj3/

1

jormungandrsjig t1_jcs6rky wrote

I’ll take whatever the SCMP says with a grain of salt for $500 Alex.

77

chidebunker t1_jcs7kml wrote

China makes wild claim about their technology

the US DoD responds by developing a next generation system to counter

new US system exceeds all Chinese claims

China was lying and their system never met their claims or never existed at all

the US military is now 6 generations of technology ahead of China

China responds by making wild claim about their technology....

12

My_Soul_to_Squeeze t1_jcsfvuc wrote

Replying to chidebunker (#2,267,979)

This literally happened with the Foxbat and F-15, but it was the USSR rather than China. It wasn't until a Soviet pilot defected with his jet to Japan that western scientists realized it was a very clunky, basically single use interceptor, not a gen4 air superiority fighter.

6

billetea t1_jcsjyie wrote

What China does is pump out a literal wall of science papers and journal submissions with next to no actual results (or fabricated results). What they are doing is giving themselves the ability to challenge any and all IP developed in the rest of the world. The problem with IP law is that any science journal submission no matter how spurious or lacking scientific rigour can still create an IP claim if real research is then undertaken in that field. They may even be aware of the development of a tech breakthrough in say a US university and they create fake research to be able to access the IP in discovery.

38

Tnuvu t1_jcspwvt wrote

So we invent something that could potentially open the next age for human development, pushing us perhaps beyond the stars, and the first thing we think of using it for is weapons...

−4

nomoreimfull t1_jcsq8be wrote

Replying to billetea (#2,268,615)

Since when has china ever given a shit about anyone else's intellectual property? They are the safe haven for knock-off everything. When it comes to arms race tech, no government cares either.

16

nomoreimfull t1_jcsr1dv wrote

Replying to billetea (#2,268,860)

Cute. I am aghast the us, or any other nation, extends them the courtesy of protection considering the aforementioned reputation. With decent ai, I am going to imagine a world where articles of this type are churned out to hyperinflate the market with nonsense claims in an arms race resulting in the death of the pier reviewed system.

7

billetea t1_jcstvqs wrote

Replying to nomoreimfull (#2,268,874)

It's going to be a real issue.. if you are developing say some new tech and you go to fund raise to commercialise it, the first thing serious investors do is get an IP lawyer to ensure there are no possible future IP claims. All these BS Chinese submissions can count as potential claims on that new tech. Now, you can sue the Chinese scientists but that requires disclosure of your own research, and investors will just run away. Net result you either end up showing them your IP for them to copy to win, or you don't get funding. Either way, they can F up whole new fields of science and development. AI probably could do too but I'm just talking China as thats as far as my knowledge extends.

6

RandomBitFry t1_jcsvk5z wrote

You could probably get 212kW from a couple of Tesla batteries.

0

coffeeguyq8 t1_jcsxr2r wrote

I really hope I get to fire a plasma or ray gun during my life time

5

billetea t1_jct4ww6 wrote

Replying to Bad_Orbital_Mechanic (#2,269,287)

Well would you sue a Chinese company in China or in a Western country if you wanted to unlock a spurious IP claim for rest of world development? If a Chinese company wanted to clog up a capital raising / commercialisation program for a tech/defence company it'd do it also in the western legal system as they can enforce legal discovery and injunct progress.. in which case, legal discovery is in the West. My guess is we will soon just end up ring fencing China in IP law and ignoring them. They've ignored us for a long time, and now as they actually work on product development and new research we could just as easily take there IP. The question will be over Chinese controlled Western companies... that's a greyzone.

2

First-Translator966 t1_jct5cf4 wrote

Replying to nomoreimfull (#2,268,847)

It’s literally about stealing the IP rights. Tech A is possible, they don’t know how to do it, but they publish a paper saying they made tech A. Now when MIT in collaboration with a Fortune 500 company develop tech A, they challenge it in court and they US is forced to reveal the tech.

They might even own the IP when it’s all said and done.

9

unlimited_mcgyver t1_jct8mlg wrote

Yeah when these fuckers develop their own tech we're screwed. For now it seems most likely that this info was stolen from some existing western program.

3

ShihPoosRule t1_jctki04 wrote

Lol, sure they did. Here’s a hint folks, countries don’t advertise their cutting edge military developments.

5

singsix t1_jctolvd wrote

BS. Freaking Commie propaganda. Get out of here. We all know China is full of it

−3

M4err0w t1_jctsz5u wrote

well thank god they shared how it works so everyone can be on the same page.

0

tighterfit t1_jctxng0 wrote

Another theoretical weapon from the communist machine. Not ready to deploy yet, logistical hurdles. More like we have a theory, now we need to try and build it.

1

tighterfit t1_jctyi22 wrote

Replying to billetea (#2,268,971)

If you think that the US hasn’t filed thousands of patents on this(even theoretical ones) your out of your minds. This is all military posturing. Just like Russia and China’s hypersonic missiles that no one has seen outside of their militaries.

1

0biwanCannoli t1_jctzb6y wrote

I'm not sure what I'm eager to on Tuesday:

  1. Donald Trump arrested
  2. Chine builds warp drive to distant galaxies, that also powers unimaginable weapons.
3

JavelindOrc t1_jcu41z7 wrote

Yet another example of Chinese vaporware. China reinvents the big bang and creates a whole new universe, stay tuned next week.

−1

billetea t1_jcub6xg wrote

Replying to tighterfit (#2,270,803)

I agree to a point.

In terms of the hypersonic missiles, they do... it's just that the media isn't savvy enough to realise anything ballistic is also hypersonic. SpaceX Rockets are hypersonic. The point with "hypersonic" missiles is their ability to manoeuvre and cruise around the globe. Those the Russians and Chinese do not have yet... we do.

2

mascachopo t1_jcvcvl1 wrote

As long as they can’t imagine them we will be safe.

1

patriot050 t1_jcwt758 wrote

Why is futurology allow Chinese propaganda posts? Are the mods asleep?

2

Ulyks t1_jcxh54m wrote

Replying to lonely40m (#2,274,860)

The SCMP is the Hong Kong news paper of record.

It has been censored in recent years but is far from the propaganda arm of the CCP, that would be the global times and it's parent paper, the peoples daily.

2

TacTurtle t1_jcxk6lp wrote

Not really a big deal, the US made something decades ago called SHIVA STAR for similar ideas, and that line of research was largely abandoned in favor of MARAUDER toroidal plasma research.

2

ac3boy t1_jdkmgow wrote

Replying to First-Translator966 (#2,269,357)

What are you talking about? China gives zero fucks about IP rights. The US would also not reveal shit to them either when it comes to game-changing energy sources that could power our new military endeavors like optical weapons, energy weapons, etc.

1

First-Translator966 t1_jdlhdsw wrote

Replying to ac3boy (#2,346,893)

I’m talking about a way to steal the IP through our own legal system. Basically, they patent something even if they don’t have a working prototype, force a US company to reveal how they did it through a lawsuit, and then steal it.

1