Plasma behavior in the boundary layer near a railgun surface
Abstract
Viscous flow and thermal characteristics are theoretically analyzed for the plasma behind a moving projectile inside a railgun. When only convective effects are included in the turbulent boundary layer analysis, the results suggest a temperature maximum in the wall region for very high velocity flows. The case of radiative as well as convective transport has also been investigated for an optically thick boundary layer flow by application of an approximate method. Results show a sizable effect of radiation on the flow characteristics, especially on the heat transfer rate to the railgun surface.
- Publication:
-
Presented at the 4th Symposium on Electromagnetic Launch Technology
- Pub Date:
- March 1988
- Bibcode:
- 1988elt..symp.....K
- Keywords:
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- Boundary Layer Plasmas;
- Heat Transfer;
- Railgun Accelerators;
- Turbulent Boundary Layer;
- Viscous Flow;
- Boundary Layer Flow;
- Flow Velocity;
- Projectiles;
- Plasma Physics