Search

Armature plays an important role in the electromagnetic launch process. Due to the skin effect, the current density distribution is neither uniform on the rail, nor on the armature. High current density centralization in one part could lead to a partial high temperature and make the armature material melt down and be ablated, especially at low velocity. In this paper we try to change the geometry of a Cshaped armature to improve the current density distribution and reduce the ablation. Four variants of C-shaped armatures are designed to study the specific features, including a conventional C-shaped armature (CCA), a rounded leading edge C-shaped armature (LCA), a rounded trailing edge C-shaped armature (TCA), and a rounded incorporate edge C-shaped armature (ICA). A novel low-speed experiment is constructed and tested. The armatures are ablated and recovered to compare the improved effects. Then finite element simulations according to the experimental results are performed to further analyze the experimental results. It is proved that the current density and hence the temperature distribution can be immensely improved by simply changing the armature geometry. LCA and ICA show that the erosion is more uniform on the contact surface due to the rounded leading edge. The curved trailing edge could improve the uniformity of the current on the interface. ICA which combines the effects of LCA and TCA is the best option in the four armatures. How much the leading edge and the trailing edge should be curved involves the geometry of CCA and the posture of the interface on the rail. A saddle shape is a good option to improve the current density and temperature distribution in the throat. Erosion mechanism is analyzed finally. The experiments and simulations support the erosion and transition mechanism. A detailed description of the experiments and simulations is also presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The energy conversion efficiency of a multistage synchronous induction coilgun (MSSICG) has become one of the key factors that restricts its industrialization. To improve the launch efficiency of medium- and high-velocity MSSICG, we propose an optimization design scheme combining orthogonal experimental design (OED) and self-consistent design method in this paper. The OED is introduced to reduce the number of iterations and improve the identification accuracy and efficiency. A self-consistent design model is established to overcome a defect that the parameters that need to be optimized will multiply as the number of coil stages increases. The influence of six factors (radial thickness of armature, axial length of armature, axial length of coil, capacitance, wire diameter, and slip speed) on the launch efficiency are then evaluated by range analysis. This work presents a valuable reference for optimizing medium- and high-velocity MSSICG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]