Transient Response of an Electromagnetic Rail Gun: A Pedagogical Model
Abstract
We present a highly simplified model of an electromagnetic rail gun. The energy source for the gun consists of a rotating magnetic dipole moment positioned at the center of a stator coil. The dipole moment is free to rotate about an axis normal to the stator coil's axis, inducing a current in the rail gun stator circuit, and thereby propelling the projectile. The system's dynamical behavior is described by three nonlinear coupled ordinary differential equations, involving time-dependent functions representing the armature's position, the stator circuit's current, and the dipole moment's angular position. We numerically solve this system of differential equations and plot the solutions versus time. The results exhibit a complicated dynamics due to the interaction of the electrical and mechanical degrees of freedom.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1998
- Accession Number
- ADA345008
Entities
People
- John D. Bruno
- Thomas B. Bahder
Organizations
- United States Army Research Laboratory