Manufacturing and testing of an air-core compulsator driven 0.60 caliber railgun system

Author

Kitzmiller, J.R. ; Faidley, R.W. ; Fuller, R.L. ; Headifen, R.N. ; Thelen, R.F.

Author_Institution

Center for Electromech., Texas Univ., Austin, TX, USA

Volume

29

Issue

1

fYear

1993

fDate

1/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

441

Lastpage

446

Abstract

A laboratory-based, small-caliber, electromagnetic launcher and compensated pulsed alternator power supply are being tested. The objective of the program is to develop a compact, lightweight testbed capable of accelerating a salvo of three 32 g masses to 2 km/s at a rate of 10 Hz. The 0.60 caliber, augmented railgun is powered by an 850 kg self-excited, air-core compulsator which develops 674 MW peak power delivered through a solid-state, silicon-controlled rectifier closing switch. The incremental test plan is scheduled to bring the system to full power levels during the summer of 1992. Critical component fabrication and assembly details of the compulsator and supporting subsystems are presented. Early system commissioning and test data are presented, including low-speed (8000 r/min) tests of the compulsator involving external excitation of the field coil

Keywords

electromagnetic launchers; power supplies to apparatus; pulsed power technology; 0.60 caliber railgun system; 10 Hz; 2000 m/s; 674 MW; air-core compulsator; augmented railgun; electromagnetic launcher; external excitation; field coil; power supply; rotors; silicon-controlled rectifier closing switch; solid-state; stators; testing; Alternators; Automatic testing; EMP radiation effects; Electromagnetic launching; Laboratories; Life estimation; Manufacturing; Pulsed power supplies; Switches; System testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.195615

Filename

195615