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Railgun system using a laser-induced plasma armature

Journal Article · · AIP Conference Proceedings
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.50546· OSTI ID:397353
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  1. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., 3-3-1, Minatomirai, Nishi-ku, Yokohama 220-84 (Japan)

Development of an electromagnetic railgun system that utilizes a laser-induced plasma armature formation has been conducted to investigate the application of the railgun system for high-speed pellet injection into fusion plasmas. Using the laser-induced plasma formation technique, the required breakdown voltage was reduced by one-tenth compared with that for the spark-discharged plasma. The railgun system successfully accelerated the laser-induced plasma armature by an electromagnetic force that accelerated the pellet. The highest velocity of the solid hydrogen pellets, obtained so far, was 2.6 km/sec using a 2m-long railgun. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}

OSTI ID:
397353
Report Number(s):
CONF-950476--
Journal Information:
AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 369; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English