DocumentCode
1020658
Title
Testing of a homopolar generator, energy storage inductor, opening-switch railgun system
Author
Zowarka, R.C., Jr. ; Rech, B.M. ; Nalty, K.E.
Author_Institution
University of Texas, Austin, TX
Volume
22
Issue
6
fYear
1986
fDate
11/1/1986 12:00:00 AM
Firstpage
1826
Lastpage
1832
Abstract
The first homopolar-fired railgun system was operated in Canberra in 1972 [1,2]. Since that time two additional systems have been tested, the EMACK homopolar generator (HPG) built by Westinghouse and operated by Army Research and Development Center (ARDC) [3] and the joint effort by The Center for Electromechanics of The University of Texas (CEM-UT) and General Dynamics in 1982 [4]. This paper describes the homopolar railgun system operated by CEM-UT in 1985. The aspect that makes this system different from the previous experiments is the design of a fast opening switch (10 to 20 µs) that will allow operation of the HPG into hypervelocity launchers.
Keywords
Electromagnetic propulsion; Homopolar generators; Inductive energy storage; Coaxial components; Cryogenics; Energy storage; Explosives; Inductance; Inductors; Railguns; Research and development; Switches; System testing;
fLanguage
English
Journal_Title
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
Publisher
ieee
ISSN
0018-9464
Type
jour
DOI
10.1109/TMAG.1986.1064706
Filename
1064706
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