Analysis of startup behavior in a “C-shaped” armature using linked EMAP3D/DYNA3D finite element codes

Author

Hopkins, David A. ; Stefani, Francis ; Hsieh, Kuo-Ta ; Kim, Bok-Ki

Author_Institution

AMSRL, Army Res. Lab., Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, USA

Volume

35

Issue

1

fYear

1999

fDate

1/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

59

Lastpage

64

Abstract

An important consideration in the design of solid armatures is whether they maintain good solid-on-solid sliding contact during the initial portion of a launch, when the magnetic pressure is too low to provide sufficient loading of the contact faces. This paper analyzes the complete electrical/structure startup behavior of a “C-shaped” armature in the 40 mm, square bore, laboratory launcher at the IAT, using a pair of linked 3D finite element codes. A first analysis solves for the electromagnetic loading on conductors using the EM code EMAP3D. A second analysis uses the hydrocode DYNA3D to solve the dynamic response of the armature, rails, insulators, and railgun containment using the results from EMAP3D as forcing functions. Peak displacements transverse to the direction of motion are found to be in the order of 0.1 mm

Keywords

conductors (electric); dynamic response; electrical contacts; finite element analysis; power engineering computing; railguns; starting; 40 mm; C-shaped armature; DYNA3D; EM code; EMAP3D; contact faces; dynamic response; electrical/structure startup behavior; electromagnetic loading; hydrocode; insulators; linked 3D finite element codes; linked EMAP3D/DYNA3D finite element codes; magnetic pressure; peak displacements; railgun containment; rails; solid armatures design; solid-on-solid sliding contact; square bore; startup behavior; Boring; Conductors; Contacts; Electromagnetic analysis; Finite element methods; Insulation; Laboratories; Magnetic analysis; Rails; Solids;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0018-9464

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/20.738376

Filename

738376