Scaling Laws for Electromagnetic Launchers Considering an Existing Pulse
Power Supply
Abstract
In all areas of engineering, testing full-scale models can be both
costly and risky and often not necessary. The scaling laws can be
implemented in electromagnetic launchers (EMLs). The objective is to
obtain similar temperatures, magnetic induction, and stress fields (T,
B, and S) compared to the full-size geometry. A few EML dimensions, such
as its cross-section, rail separation, and length, must be scaled
appropriately to obtain accurate results. Pulsed power supply (PPS)
parameters require adjustments as well. However, designing a new PPS
prototype requires considerable engineering time and budget. Therefore,
in this study, scaling rules are studied utilizing an existing PPS.
EMFY-4, a recently developed EML with a 50 x 60 mm concave bore and 6-m
length, is scaled to be used with a 250 kJ capacitive PPS. A
multi-objective optimization study is conducted to get the best design.
The first objective is to get a minimum rail length to seek higher
energy density. The second objective is to minimize the muzzle current
to the peak rail current ratio for higher efficiency. The effect of
armature mass, capacitor charging voltage, and the required number of
PPS modules on the objective functions are discussed. The study showed
that when the existing PPS is used, the scaling with the higher scaling
factor, denoted as (λ), gives better results.