Experiments with the Green Farm electric gun facility

Author

McNab, Ian R. ; LeVine, F. ; Aponte, M.

Author_Institution

Maxwell Lab. Inc., San Diego, CA, USA

Volume

31

Issue

1

fYear

1995

Firstpage

338

Lastpage

343

Abstract

The design and construction of a major electric gun facility at Green Farm in San Diego is described. The facility is driven by an 11 kV 32 MJ capacitor bank, arranged in 4 MJ modules that can be independently triggered to provide a choice of pulse shapes. The bank has powered a variety of EM and ET guns, including an 8-meter Single Shot Rail gun and a modified 5-inch Naval gun. World record high energy and high velocity shots have been achieved. The highest rail gun muzzle energy was 8.6 MJ and the highest muzzle velocity was 4.3 km/s with a plasma driven projectile of 0.64 kg, corresponding to a muzzle energy of 6 MJ. Intact projectile launch and flight was confirmed by high speed (8000 frames/sec.) photography and flash X-rays.<>

Keywords

capacitor storage; electromagnetic launchers; electrothermal launchers; plasma devices; plasma guns; power supplies to apparatus; pulsed power technology; 11 kV; 32 MJ; 4 MJ; 4.3 km/s; 5 in; 6 MJ; 8 m; 8.6 MJ; Green Farm electric gun facility; Naval gun; San Diego; Single Shot Rail gun; capacitor bank; electromagnetic launchers; electrothermal launchers; flash X-rays; high energy shots; high speed photography; high velocity shots; intact projectile launch; muzzle velocity; plasma driven projectile; projectile flight; pulse shapes; rail gun muzzle energy; Boring; Capacitors; Electromyography; Power system reliability; Projectiles; Pulse power systems; Rails; Shape; Switches; System testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.364665

Filename

364665