Critical current density in railguns with composite electrodes

Author

Shvetsov, G.A. ; Stankevich, S.V.

Author_Institution

Lavrentyev Inst. of Hydrodynamics, Acad. of Sci., Novosibirsk, Russia

Volume

31

Issue

1

fYear

1995

Firstpage

237

Lastpage

242

Abstract

The critical current density in railguns with plasma armatures is one of the basic parameters determining their efficiency and kinematic characteristics. The possibility to increase the critical current density when using bimetallic or composite (particles of different metals) electrodes is analyzed in the paper. The scaling ratios relating the values of critical current density, projectile velocity and acceleration time and the basic physical properties of the electrode material in "nonerosion" regime are obtained. Using these ratios, the coefficient of the relative heat resistance is introduced which makes it possible to compare the composites with reference to a standard material, for example, copper. The results of numerical calculations of this coefficient for a number of composites of different structure are presented.<>

Keywords

acceleration; composite materials; critical currents; current density; electrodes; plasma devices; projectiles; railguns; thermal resistance; acceleration time; composite electrodes; critical current density; efficiency; kinematic characteristics; nonerosion regime; numerical calculations; plasma armatures; projectile velocity; railguns; relative heat resistance coefficient; scaling ratios; Acceleration; Critical current density; Electrodes; Kinematics; Plasma accelerators; Plasma density; Plasma properties; Projectiles; Railguns; Resistance heating;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.364695

Filename

364695