Testing of an air-core compulsator driven 0.60 caliber railgun system

Author

Fuller, R.L. ; Kitzmiller, J.R. ; Thelen, R.F.

Author_Institution

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

Volume

31

Issue

1

fYear

1995

Firstpage

52

Lastpage

55

Abstract

The Center for Electromechanics at The University of Texas at Austin (CEM-UT) is testing a laboratory based, small caliber, electromagnetic launcher and compensated pulsed alternator power supply. The objective of the program is to develop a compact, lightweight test bed 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 has completed testing of the system at the 16000 rpm level with current plans to proceed to 21000 rpm. System test data including self-excitation experiments are presented.<>

Keywords

power supplies to apparatus; pulsed power switches; pulsed power technology; railguns; testing; thyristor applications; 0.60 caliber railgun system; 10 Hz; 2 km/s; 32 g; 674 MW; 850 kg; Center for Electromechanics; University of Texas at Austin; air-core compulsator; compensated pulsed alternator power supply; electromagnetic launcher; lightweight test bed; self-excitation experiments; self-excited air-core compulsator; silicon controlled rectifier closing switch; Alternators; Automatic testing; EMP radiation effects; Electromagnetic launching; Laboratories; Life estimation; Pulsed power supplies; Railguns; Switches; System testing;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.364729

Filename

364729