Superconductivity for Electromagnetic Guns
Abstract
This report deals with a feasibility study for an electromagnetic gun using superconducting components. The report discusses two questions. The first deals with an assessment of the applied superconductivity technology, while the second is concerned with two reference designs for coaxial accelerators making use of advanced energy transfer concepts. Impressive recent developments in the technology of cryogenic insulation and of liquid helium liquefiers, as well as, of commercially available super conductors makes it possible to construct superconducting pulsed power sources of very high efficiency and of remarkable compactness and low weight. Repetitive superconducting switches, together with superconducting storage inductors makes these pulsed sources very competitive with conventional sources in terms of reliability and time constant. The synchronous coaxial accelerators investigated in this report rely on a simple procedure that eliminates the need for switches. It is based on the concept of transferring the energy of the pulsed source to a transmission line. The driver coils are part of the transmission line. Consequently, as the pulse travels down the line, the coils are excited in sequence and in synchronism with the moving driven coil. Since the energy is transferred from the pulsed source to a transmission line which appears as a resistive load, the transfer efficiency is very high. Other features of the novel designs consist in maintaining the current in the driven coil to a very low value thus minimizing the problem of arcing at the brushes and in dealing with the high voltage required to drive the guns.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Mar 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA140665
Entities
People
- Osman K. Mawardi