Mass sensitivity studies for an inductively driven railgun
Abstract
Those areas which result in substantial system mass reductions for an HPG (homopolar generator) driven EML (electromagnetic launcher) are identified. Sensitivity studies are performed by varying launch mass, peak acceleration, launcher efficiency, inductance gradient, injection velocity, barrel mass per unit length, fuel tankage and pump estimates, and component energy and power densities. Two major contributors to the system mass are the allowed number of shots per barrel versus the number required for the mission, and the barrel length. The effects of component performance parameters, such as friction coefficient, injection velocity, ablation coefficient, rail resistivity, armature voltage, peak acceleration, and inductance gradient on these two areas, are addressed.
- Publication:
-
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics
- Pub Date:
- January 1991
- DOI:
- 10.1109/20.101001
- Bibcode:
- 1991ITM....27...97S
- Keywords:
-
- Electromagnetic Acceleration;
- High Temperature Gases;
- Homopolar Generators;
- Nuclear Reactors;
- Railgun Accelerators;
- Weight Reduction;
- Energy Storage;
- Erosion;
- Hydrogen;
- Inductance;
- Launchers;
- Sensitivity;
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering