skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: A new approach to a high efficiency inductive store

Conference · · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)
OSTI ID:5900664
; ; ;  [1]; ;  [2]
  1. Texas Univ., Austin, TX (United States). Center for Electromechanics
  2. Parker Kinetic Design, Inc., Austin, TX (US)

In the Spring of 1989, Parker Kinetic Design, Inc. (PKD) and the Center for Electromechanics at The University of Texas at Austin (CEM-UT) conducted a study to examine the basic technologies to be used in the construction and operation of a feasible and reliable electromagnetic (EM) gun system. This work was performed for Brown and Root Vickers, Ltd. (BRV) in response to a feasibility analysis requirement of the Royal Armament and Development Establishment (RARDE), Ministry of Defence (MD) of the United Kingdom. This paper summarizes that this study focused on the analysis and evaluation of the suitability and applicability of various pulsed power supply options for the performance goals of the RARDE EM gun program. The existing technologies considered included batteries, compulsators, capacitors, and homopolar generators (HPGs). Primary performance specifications for the electrical energy radius system were that it be capable of providing 12 MJ of muzzle energy; velocities between 2.0 and 3.5 km/s; and a repetitive shot rate of up to 10 shots per day, with no more than a 30-min interval between shots. In addition, the recommended system needed to be reliable, easily maintainable, and capable of routinely firing large numbers of shots. Strict adherence to the goal of designing a system based only on demonstrated technology results in power supplies that are prohibitively expensive and large. As a consequence, candidate system designs represent a modest extrapolation from demonstrated technology well within an acceptable design envelope. A new topology has been developed for a highly efficient inductive store suitable for pulsed-power applications. The new design features high L/R ratios without having to cryogenically cool the conductors. This allows for high efficiency charging of the inductor from low impedance dc sources such as batteries of HPGs.

OSTI ID:
5900664
Report Number(s):
CONF-9004136-; CODEN: IEMGA
Journal Information:
IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 27:1; Conference: 5. IEEE symposium on electromagnetic launcher technology, Destin, FL (United States), 1-5 Apr 1990; ISSN 0018-9464
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Design and testing of a 0. 60 caliber, augmented railgun
Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) · OSTI ID:5900664

Experimental results from CEM-UTS single shot 9 mj railgun
Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) · OSTI ID:5900664

Final commissioning of the Balcones 60 MJ pulsed power supply
Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) · OSTI ID:5900664