General energy relationships for rail-gun launchers
Abstract
The energy characteristics of rail guns are examined as a function of the principal circuit parameters, including resistance. Formulas are obtained which make it possible to estimate the maximum projectile velocity, the electromagnetic-to-kinetic energy conversion coefficient, and the ratio of kinetic energy to ohmic losses in the circuit. It is shown that, for a constant circuit resistance, the maximum values of these quantities are determined by a single dimensionless parameter.
- Publication:
-
PMTF Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki
- Pub Date:
- April 1987
- Bibcode:
- 1987PMTF.......166B
- Keywords:
-
- Electromagnetic Fields;
- Energy Transfer;
- Kinetic Energy;
- Railgun Accelerators;
- Dimensionless Numbers;
- Energy Sources;
- Equations Of Motion;
- Performance Tests;
- Resistance;
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering