A propellant-driven flux compression power unit for millisecond ETC pulsed power applications

A flux compression power unit (FCPU) is being developed to generate tailored millisecond current pulses for ETC gun applications. A propellant mixture is used to accelerate a conducting piston into the magnetic field region within a helical coil. Repetitive operation may be obtained by using the compressed magnetic field to stop the piston at the end of the useful compression stroke and return it to the starting position. FCPU point of departure design parameters for a proof-of-principle experiment include: 120-mm bore diameter, 75-cm coil length, 80 turns/m, 15-kA seed current (7.2-kJ initial energy), 3.5-kg piston initially accelerated to 300 m/s. Simulations predict a FCPU current multiplication of 40/spl times/, 95 kJ delivered to a fixed resistance load, and the stopping of the piston. Scaling analyses and initial experiments using solid propellants to accelerate the piston are reported.