Advanced concepts for electromagnetic launcher power supplies incorporating magnetic flux compression

• Published in: IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) 1991-01, Vol.27 (1), p.350-355
• Main Authors: Driga, M.D., Fair, H.D.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 430100 - Particle Accelerators- Design, Development, & Operation; 70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY; 700430 - Fusion Technology- Magnet Coils & Fields- (1992-); 700440 - Fusion Technology- Power Supplies, Energy Storage- (1992-); ACCELERATION; ACCELERATORS; Armature; Coils; COMPRESSION; COMPUTER CODES; ELECTRIC COILS; ELECTRIC GENERATORS; ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT; Electromagnetic launching; ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSES; ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION; ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT; EMP radiation effects; FINITE ELEMENT METHOD; MAGNET COILS; MAGNETIC COMPRESSION; MAGNETIC FIELDS; MAGNETIC FLUX; NUMERICAL SOLUTION; OPTIMIZATION; Output feedback; PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; PINCH EFFECT; PLASMA ACCELERATION; PLASMA GUNS; POWER SUPPLIES; PROJECTILES; Pulse amplifiers; Pulse generation; Pulse shaping methods; PULSES; RADIATIONS; ROTATING GENERATORS; VELOCITY
• ISSN: 0018-9464; 1941-0069
• DOI: 10.1109/20.101055

Advanced concepts of high-energy power supplies for coil launchers are presented. These concepts are designed to produce high inductive compressive ratios and large current and magnetic field multiplication ratios in the range of megamperes of current and gigawatts of active power. As a consequence of the flexibility of multiwinding rotating generators, such designs provide an extensive range of output pulse shaping in single or multiple pulses, enabling optimum operation of the coil launcher. The interaction of different stationary and rotating electrical windings in strong magnetic fields with feedback generated amplification and nonuniform compensation of the armature reaction is the key to providing a large and flexible spectrum of tailored output pulses, eliminating the need for switching and other large external electromagnetic pulse-forming components. Dynamic interactions between the internal impedance of these generators and the induced electromotive forces in various windings, as well as the role of the external passive circuit components introduced in the launcher circuit (such as capacitors and inductors), are discussed and numerically evaluated. Finally, an adaptive finite-element method numerical code is described. This code takes into account the relative motion and is designed to evaluate machines incorporating flux compression.< >