Modelling the electromagnetic performance of moving rail gun launchers using finite elements

Author

Rodger, D. ; Leonard, P.J.

Author_Institution

Sch. of Electr. & Electr. Eng., Bath Univ., UK

Volume

29

Issue

1

fYear

1993

fDate

1/1/1993 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

496

Lastpage

498

Abstract

A finite-element technique for modeling 3-D transient eddy currents in smooth rotor conductors moving at constant velocity is described. A method for joining discontinuous A fields at the interface between conductors in sliding electrical contacts has been implemented in the MEGA software package for 2-D and 3-D electromagnetic field analysis. It is shown how the method described can be applied to railguns with rails of arbitrary cross section, thus improving a previous scheme (see D. Rodger et al., 1991) which could only be used for rectangular bore barrels

Keywords

eddy currents; electrical engineering computing; electromagnetic launchers; finite element analysis; software packages; transients; 2D EM field analysis; 3-D electromagnetic field analysis; 3-D transient eddy currents; MEGA software package; conductors; cross section; electromagnetic performance; finite elements; modeling; moving rail gun launchers; sliding electrical contacts; smooth rotor conductors; Conductors; Contacts; Eddy currents; Electromagnetic analysis; Electromagnetic fields; Electromagnetic modeling; Electromagnetic transients; Finite element methods; Rails; Software packages;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.195625

Filename

195625