Study on energy conversion efficiency of electromagnetic launcher with a capacitor-based pulsed power system

The stored-to-kinetic energy conversion efficiency of railgun system is investigated by simulation and experiment methods. There are many factors can affect railgun system conversion efficiency. The factors include some parameters values of PPS, the velocity of armature, the inductance gradient of rail and so on. To analyze the stored-to-kinetic energy conversion efficiency, a novel electric circuit simulation model for a railgun system is built. The simulation results showed the less resistance and the more inductance of PPS, the more inductance gradient of laucher and the higher muzzle velocity of armature can improve the energy conversion efficiency of the railgun system. Some experimental results with the 6MJ railgun system of Beijing Institute of Special Electromechanical Technology (BISET) are also presented in this paper, and they prove the simulation results.