Limits to the velocity of solid armatures in railguns

Velocity limits of a solid armature in a railgun are the result of temperature and internal forces which surpass the yield strength of the material. A two-dimensional finite-element model for the magnetic and temperature fields in a railgun is presented for several rail and armatures designs. Copper rails and a molybdenum armature are identified as candidates for future solid armature testing. All simulations are performed for a 1/2-inch-square-bore railgun