Title :
Capacitive pulsed power supply systems for ETC guns
Author :
Wisken, H.G. ; Weise, T.H.G.G.
Author_Institution :
Rheinmetall W&M GmbH, Unterluess, Germany
Abstract :
Compact pulsed power supplies are required for electrothermal-chemical (ETC) guns to be installed in combat fighting vehicles. In order to meet the requirements for integration of pulsed power supply (PPS) systems in such vehicles, components with high degrees of energy and power density as well as complex system designs need to be realized. This paper gives the basic electric requirements of medium- and large-caliber ETC guns to be fulfilled by the appropriate PPS systems. From these requirements, design criteria for high-energy discharge modules and their auxiliary systems are derived. The design of a 120-kJ capacitor module to be applied for the large-caliber ETC gun currently under investigation at Rheinmetall, Unterleuss, Germany, is described. Finally, the paper gives some basic considerations on volume and weight requirements of capacitive PPS systems to be applied for rapid-fire and single-shot ETC guns due to the current status of the investigations at Rheinmetall.
Keywords :
capacitor storage; electrothermal launchers; military systems; pulsed power supplies; weapons; 120 kJ; 120-kJ capacitor module; ETC guns; auxiliary systems; capacitive pulsed power supply systems; combat righting vehicles; electric requirements; electrothermal-chemical guns; high power density; high-energy discharge modules; large-caliber ETC guns; medium-caliber ETC guns; pulsed power supply system integration; rapid-fire ETC guns; single-shot ETC guns; volume requirements; weight requirements; Electrothermal launching; Guns; Ignition; Missiles; Plasma properties; Propulsion; Pulse power systems; Pulsed power supplies; Vehicles; Weapons;
Journal_Title :
Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on
DOI :
10.1109/TMAG.2002.806375
