EM Gun Bore Life Experiments at Naval Research Laboratory

Author

Meger, R.A. ; Cairns, R.L. ; Douglass, S.R. ; Huhman, B. ; Neri, J.M. ; Carney, C.J. ; Jones, H.N. ; Cooper, Ken ; Feng, Jianjiang ; Brintlinger, T.H. ; Sprague, J.A. ; Michopoulos, J.G. ; Young, M.M. ; DeGiorgi, V. ; Leung, Alice ; Baucom, J.N. ; Wimmer,

Author_Institution

Plasma Phys. Div., Naval Res. Lab., Washington, DC, USA

Volume

41

Issue

5

fYear

2013

fDate

May-13

Firstpage

1533

Lastpage

1537

Abstract

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) performs basic and applied research on high power railguns as part of the US Navy EM Launcher program. The understanding of damage mechanisms as a function of armature and barrel materials, launch parameters, and bore geometry is of primary interest to the development of a viable high power railgun. Research is performed on a 6-m, 1.5-MJ railgun located at NRL. Barrel studies utilize in situ diagnostics coupled with detailed ex situ analysis of rail materials to provide clues to the conditions present during launch. Results are compared with coupled 3-D electromagnetic and mechanical finite element analysis models of railgun operation. Results of several experiments on rail wear will be discussed.

Keywords

finite element analysis; naval engineering; pulsed power technology; railguns; weapons; EM gun bore life experiment; NRL; Naval Research Laboratory; US Navy EM launcher program; armature function; barrel materials; bore geometry; coupled 3D electromagnetic; damage mechanisms; ex situ analysis; launch parameter; mechanical finite element analysis; rail materials; railguns; Aluminum; Armature; Fasteners; Railguns; Rails; Steel; Surface treatment; Projectiles; pulsed power systems; railguns; surface topology;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2013.2250314

Filename

6490082