Railgun performance with a two-stage light-gas gun injector

Conference · Sun Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1989

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1109/20.100988· OSTI ID:7196103

Hawke, R. S.; Susoeff, A. R. ^[1]; Asay, J. R.; Hall, C. A.; Konrad, C. H.; Wellman, G. W. ^[2]; Hickman, R. J.; Heath, W. A.; Martinez, J. R. ^[3]; Sauve, J. L.; Vasey, A. R. ^[4]; Shahinpoor, M. ^[5]

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1. Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
2. Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
3. Ktech Corp., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
4. EG and G Inc., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
5. New Mexico Univ., Albuquerque, NM (USA)

This paper summarizes the results obtained with the HELEOS railgun which uses a two-stage light-gas gun (2SLGG) as an {pi}injector. The high velocity 2SLGG injector preaccelerates projectiles up to {approximately}8 km/s. The high injector velocity reduces the exposure duration of the railgun barrel to the passing high temperature plasma armature, thereby reducing the ablation subsequent armature growth. The 2SLGG also provide a column of cool, high pressure hydrogen gas to insulate the rails behind the projectile, thereby eliminating restrike. A means to form an armature behind the injected projectile has been developed. In preliminary tests, the third stage railgun has successfully increased the projectile velocity by 1.35 km/s. Extensive diagnostics have been used to determine the behavior of the armature and track the launcher's performance. In some cases, velocity increase in the railgun section have been achieved, which are in close agreement with theoretical predictions, whereas in other experiments deviations from theoretical have been observed. The reasons for and implications of these results will be addressed. Recent tests are reported. 15 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: DOE/DP
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7196103
• Report Number(s): UCRL-101932; CONF-9004136--8; ON: DE90009183
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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420203 -- Engineering-- Handling Equipment & Procedures
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43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
430300* -- Particle Accelerators-- Auxiliaries & Components
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
ACCELERATION
ACCELERATORS
ARMATURES
BEAM INJECTION
COMMUTATORS
CONTAMINATION
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTROMAGNETISM
ELEMENTS
FLUID INJECTION
FLUID MECHANICS
FLUIDS
GAS INJECTION
GASES
HYDRODYNAMICS
HYDROGEN
LAYERS
LIGHT SOURCES
MAGNETISM
MATHEMATICAL OPERATORS
MEASURING METHODS
MECHANICS
MODIFICATIONS
NONMETALS
OPTIMIZATION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PLASMA
PROBABILITY
PROJECTILES
PROPULSION
QUANTUM OPERATORS
RADIATION SOURCES
RAILGUN ACCELERATORS
RELIABILITY
SPACE VEHICLES
SUPERCONDUCTING COILS
TESTING
VAPORS
VEHICLES
VELOCITY