Electrothermal accelerators

Journal Article · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Transactions on Magnetics; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/20.22524· OSTI ID:5463228

Driga, M D; Ingram, M W; Weldon, W F ^[1]

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1. Texas Univ., Austin, TX (USA). Center for Electromechanics

In electrothermal (ET) guns, the projectile acceleration is governed by gas dynamics as in explosively-driven guns. In a conventional gun, however, both the energy for heating and the material to be heated are contained in the solid propellant. Electrothermal launchers allow an external electric power supply to be used to provide the necessary energy; hence, lower atomic weight propellants may be used and heated to higher temperatures while maintaining a tailored acceleration profile. Important improvements in hypervelocity performance and barrel degradation can be obtained by controlling the electric discharges via power conditioning. Complex voltage and current waveforms are achieved using complex power conditioning systems, since the existing power supplies do not conform to ET gun requirements. This paper advances the concept of a single element power supply for ET guns, showing that compulsator-type machines with waveform flexibility (pulse shaping capability) can satisfy all the ET gun power supply and conditioning requirements while maintaining a high efficiency and los mass. Additionally, compulsators are suitable for repetitive-fire applications. Also described in the paper is a system of homopolar generators (HPGs) and inductors for laboratory applications.

• OSTI ID: 5463228
• Journal Information: IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Transactions on Magnetics; (USA), Journal Name: IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers) Transactions on Magnetics; (USA) Vol. 25:1; ISSN IEMGA; ISSN 0018-9464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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