Systems and methods for neutralizing explosive devices

Abstract

An apparatus for neutralizing an explosive comprises a housing including at least one relief groove along an outer portion of the housing, and an inner chamber. The inner chamber includes a first hollow section and a second hollow section. The cross-sectional area of the second hollow section is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first hollow section. A forward section of the housing is adapted to receive a first nose member and a rear section of the housing is adapted to receive a removable fin set.

1 . An apparatus for neutralizing an explosive comprising:
 a housing including:
 at least one relief groove along an outer portion of the housing; 
 an inner chamber, the inner chamber includes a first hollow section, a second hollow section, the cross-sectional area of the second hollow section is smaller than the cross-sectional area of the first hollow section; 
 a forward section adapted to receive a first nose member; and 
 a rear section adapted to receive a removable fin set. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a shoulder portion between the first and second hollow sections.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the second hollow section includes a rounded end.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fin set attached to the housing.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the first nose member attached to the housing.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , further comprising:
 the fin set includes a plurality of fin portions that are bent into a deployed position by blast pressure behind the fin set as the apparatus exits a muzzle of a gun.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the external rear section of the housing is threaded; and   the fin set includes a threaded base portion that mates with the threaded rear section of the housing.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , the fin set further comprising:
 a hollow cylinder including a plurality of longitudinal cuts spaced around the circumference of the cylinder and lateral notches through the cylinder at the base of the longitudinal cuts.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 the external forward section of the housing is threaded; and   the first nose member includes a threaded base portion that mates with the threaded forward section of the housing.   
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a second nose member attached to the first nose member.   
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a reactive material in the inner chamber, the reactive material is formulated to neutralize the explosive; and   the relief grooves are configured to provide an opening for the reactive material to disperse from the housing upon impact and penetration into a target containing the explosive.   
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 the reactive material is one of the group consisting of: APEX and thermite.   
     
     
         13 . A method for neutralizing explosive material within a container comprising:
 filling a projectile with a reactive material, the reactive material is formulated to react with a portion of the explosive material to build internal pressure and rupture the container without detonating the explosive material;   selecting a nose portion for the projectile, the nose portion is selected based on predicted impact velocity of the projectile with the container and the material of the container; and   selecting a fin set for the projectile based on blast pressure behind the projectile when the projectile is fired from a gun.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13  further comprising:
 attaching a second nose member to the first nose member. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 selecting an amount of the reactive material.