The CEM-UT rapid-fire compulsator railgun system-recent performance and development milestones

Twenty-seven compulsator-powered railgun experiments have been performed, including a 1.0 MJ discharge at 3510 r/min. In this test, a 724 kA current pulse accelerated an 80 g, aluminum armature to 2.05 km/s, thus exceeding the projectile velocity goal at 73%-rated machine speed. Furthermore, operati...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) 1991-01, Vol.27 (1), p.74-79
Main Authors: Perkins, D.E., Pratap, S.B., Spann, M.L., Thelen, R.F., Werst, M.D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION
300102 > MHD Generators-- Performance & Testing
430303 > Particle Accelerators-- Experimental Facilities & Equipment
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ACCELERATOR FACILITIES
ACCELERATORS
Alternators
Aluminum
DESIGN
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DIRECT ENERGY CONVERTERS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ENERGY TRANSFER
FEDERAL REGION VI
Fires
Fu
Fuels >
IMPACT FUSION DRIVERS
Inductance
MHD GENERATORS
MISSILE LAUNCHING SITES
NORTH AMERICA
PARTICLE ACCELERATORS
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PLASMA
PLASMA SWITCHES
PROJECTILES
PULSED MHD GENERATORS
RADIATIONS
RAILGUN ACCELERATORS
Railguns
Solid state circuits
SOLID-STATE PLASMA
SWITCHES
System testing
TESTING
TEXAS
USA 700460 > Fusion Technology-- Heating & Fueling Systems
VELOCITY
Voltage
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Summary:Twenty-seven compulsator-powered railgun experiments have been performed, including a 1.0 MJ discharge at 3510 r/min. In this test, a 724 kA current pulse accelerated an 80 g, aluminum armature to 2.05 km/s, thus exceeding the projectile velocity goal at 73%-rated machine speed. Furthermore, operation with a single gun barrel has been achieved using a parallel path, solid-state closing switch to deliver 132 kA to the railgun injector. The latest data are presented from the rapid-fire compulsator railgun facility. Included is a discussion of the energy transfer, power output, and system efficiency during a 1.0 MJ discharge. Also shown are the injector current, voltage, and di/dt curves for this test which were used in the design of the solid-state closing switch. Results of railgun experiments using the solid-state switch are analyzed.< >
ISSN:0018-9464
1941-0069
DOI:10.1109/20.100997