Launch Process of Augmented Electromagnetic

Railgun under Nonideal Condition

Zhenchun Wang, Suochun He, Yintang Wen, Zaiji Zhan, and Fucai Liu

so on. We also carried on the electromagnetic launch (EML)

Abstract—In the paper, the simulation and the experiment were experiment. The experiment results can match the theoretical
carried on a kind of planar series augmented electromagnetic rail analysis and simulation preferably. The experiment results
launcher. Different from other researches on electromagnetic show that the main factors that influence the results are the
launcher’s analysis, many practical effects were fully considered
in launching process such as friction force, air resistance, heat armature magnitude of interference and the electrical contact
generation and so on. Launching process and armature movement between armature and rails at the situation of given energy.
in bore were divided into several key sections. 1) The armature
was in a static state when its Lorentz force was less than friction II. OPERATION PRINCIPLE OF AUGMENTED RAILGUN
force, though current had passed through the rails and the
armature; 2) The armature began to accelerate when its Lorentz A. Structure of Our Augmented Railgun
force was more than resistance force; 3) Friction force between
the armature and rails reduced greatly. A layer of molten metal Our design permitted the use of series augmentation by
liquid film was formed on the contact surface because friction incorporating a second pair of rails and connecting conductors
heat and joule heat were produced in movement which made the to create the circuit path. The magnetic flux density at the
metal layer between the armature and rails melting. And it could armature is increased by a factor of about three compared with
lubricate the contact surface and decrease friction coefficient. the simple railgun under the same current. Figure 1 shows
Results demonstrate that the muzzle velocity is certain related to
size of armature, surface smooth degree, precision and other
structure of our augmented railgun.
volatile elements.

Index Terms— Railgun, series augmented, Simulation, Contact

I. INTRODUCTION

M ANY researches have been focused on augmented

railgun in recent years [1]-[7], for the reason that it owns
the advantages of smaller rail current, slighter rail erosion and
Fig. 1. Configuration of Two-Turn Augmented Planar Railgun
It has been verified that single turn geometries would require
bigger muzzle velocity by contrast with the simple railgun. much more energy, while three-turn series-augmented
Reference [4] analyzes the simple railgun and draws a configurations may generate unacceptably high breech
theoretical conclusion. Reference [5] simulates the voltages. This left a selection of two-turn configurations [8].
electromagnetic launcher by PSpice software and discusses B. Circuit model
factors that influence armature muzzle velocity and system In the process of EML, the railgun can be considered as a
efficiency. Most research has involved variations of in-bore load. With the motion of armature, the load resistance and
geometry (round, square, etc.) but only a few attempts have inductance are increased linearly with the armature location x.
been made to explore augmented or multi turn geometries. The The railgun load model can be seen as series of mutative
advantage of the latter is that the propulsive force on the inductance, mutative resistance and reverse electromotive
armature increases substantially for a given current. force. Thus, the equal circuit of augmented railgun launch
This paper aimed at a novel series augmented launcher and system can be drawn as figure 2.
established a new motion control equation. According to this,
computer simulation has been done in different cases. This
simulation was not a simple work in the ideal condition. It
considered many experimental status parameters, for example,
the armature friction force, air resistance, contact resistance and

Z. Wang, Y. Wen, and Z. Zhan are with the School of Science and
Technology, Yanshan University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China (email:
zcwang@[Link]; ytwen@[Link]; zjzhan@[Link]) Fig. 2. The enhance railgun of the equivalent circuit of the system
S. He and F. Liu are with the Institute of Electrical Engineering, Yanshan R (t ) = R′ ⎡⎣ x0 + ∫ v (t )dt ⎤⎦ + R′ H r + Re (t ) (1)
University, Qinhuangdao 066004, China (email: hesuochun@[Link];
lfc_xb@[Link])
 L(t ) = L′ ⎡ x0 + ∫ v(t )dt ⎤ + L′ H r (2) μ0 I 2 w
+s ⎡⎛ 1 ⎞ ⎛ 1 ⎞⎤
⎣ ⎦ Fea =
4π ∫ w
2
⎢⎜ ⎟ + ⎜ ⎟ ⎥dx
where, R′ is resistance grads; Re is contact resistance between 2 ⎣⎢⎝ x ⎠ ⎝ wi + s − x ⎠ ⎦⎥
(7)
armature and rail; L′ is inductance grads; Hr is rail length x0 is the μ I2 w
+s ⎡⎛ 1 ⎞ ⎛ 1 ⎞⎤
initial location of armature; v is armature velocity. + 0
2π ∫ w
2
2
⎢⎜ ⎟+⎜ ⎟ ⎥ dx
⎢⎣⎝ wi + x ⎠ ⎝ 2 wi + s − x ⎠ ⎥⎦
Because reverse electromotive force generated by armature
motion which cuts magnetic conduction line is proportional to ⎡ ⎛ wi ⎞ ⎤
2
⎡ ⎛ 3wi ⎞ ⎤
2

⎢ ⎜ 2 + s ⎟ ⎥ ⎢ ⎜ + s ⎟ ⎥
the product of B(t) and v(t), we can conclude that μ I2 ⎠ ⎥ + μ0 I ln ⎢ ⎝ 2
2
Fea = 0 ln ⎢ ⎝ ⎠ ⎥
(8)
E (t ) = kI ( t ) V (t ) (3) 4π ⎢ ⎛ w ⎞ 2 ⎥ 2π ⎢ ⎛ 3w ⎞ 2 ⎥
⎢ ⎜ i⎟ ⎥ ⎢ ⎜ i⎟ ⎥
where, K is coeffcient of proportionality. ⎣⎢ ⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎦⎥ ⎢⎣ ⎝ 2 ⎠ ⎦⎥
where, Fea is the lorentz force of the armature; S is the caliber
C. Launch process analysis of the railgun; Wi is The thickness of the conductive rail.
The armature moves in the bore because of Lorentz force,
E. The analysis of the armature’s friction resistance
rail-armature friction force and air resistance force. The
armature initial speed is zero. From the beginning, the In fact, the contact surface between the armature and rail is
armature motion will experience the following stages: not absolutely flat and smooth. Due to the error of mechanical
1) Static: the current passes the armature, and Lorentz force processing and artificial installation, the surface is uneven and
is less than breakout friction rough, which make the armature comes to friction resistance
2) Sliding friction: the armature contacts with the rails when it moves on the closely connected rail.
directly because of the pressure In order to make the armature contacted with the
3) Lubricating friction: when the temperature reaches the conductive rail closely, the shape of the armature is made as C
melting point of armature/rail metal material, the contact style and we should make the armature a little larger than the
interface melts, the melting iron can lubricate. life-weary taker caliber. So the the pressure between armature
The control equation of armature motion: and track has two parts, on one hand, when the armature was
d put into the bore, the rear wing will be reformed, and the
ma (va ) = 0 ， Fe ≤ Fsf (4) pressure comes; On the other hand, when the current goes
dt
through the rear wing of the armature, the rear wing is also
d affected by electromagnetic force produced by the action of
ma (va ) = Fe − Fkf − Far ， Fe ≥ Fsf (5)
dt railway pressure to produce pressure to rail. Therefore, the
d armature maximum static friction force is:
ma (va ) = Fe − Flf − Far ， θ s ≥ θ m (6)
dt Fsf = μ s ( Fm + Fen ) ， Fe ≤ Fsf (9)
where, Fe is the electromagnetic force of the armature; Fsf is the The sliding friction is:
maximaum static friction force between the armature and metal Fkf = μk ( Fm + Fen ) ， Fe ≥ Fsf (10)
guide; Fkf is the friction resistance between the moving
armature and metal guide(without lubricating); Flf is the friction The lubrication sliding friction is:
resistance between the moving armature and metal guide( Flf = μl ( Fm + Fen ) ， θ s ≥ θ m (11)
lubricated); Far is the air resistance in the bore; θs is the surface
temperature; θm is the temperature of the metal melting. where, Fm is the pressure comes from the armature's rear wing
elastic deformation; Fen is the magnetic force comes from the
D. Launch process analysis the analysis of the armature’s
Lorentz force armature's rear wing.
The section graph of the augment rail model is shown in the 3ε EI z
Fm = (12)
figure [Link] to classical electromagnetism principle, L3
we know it:
where, E is the elastic module of the armature's material; Iz is
the inertia quantity of the armature's material.
ab3
Iz = (13)
12
where, L is the length of the armature; ε is the form variable is a
random quantity in the range of machining precision when the
armature was put into the bore. It can be expressed as:
Fig. 3. The section graph of the augment rail model ε = ε1 + ε 2 (14)
ε1:The pre-deformation of the C style armature's rear wing;
ε2:The deviation of the ideal situation and the situation when III. SIMULATION
the armature contacts the rail which is a random number This paper used the MATLAB-SIMULINK and the element
determined by the mechanical processing accuracy. database ‘SimPoweSystems’ to build the augmented railgun
The electromagnetic force is generated by a joint action of
system for simulation analysis.
the rail and the armature magnetic field： According to the circuit principle of above passage and the
Fen = Fe1 + Fe 2 + Fe 3 + Fe 4 (15) motion control equation, we establish the whole simulation
μ0 I 2 La model, the loop resistance submodule R(t), the loop inductance
Fe1 = (16) submodule L(t), the armature's reverse electromotive force
2π (r + d1 )
submodule E(t), the armature speed submodule and the
μ0 I 2 La contacted resistance submodule, as shown in figure 4, figure 5,
Fe 2 = (17)
4π (r + d 2 ) figure 6 and figure 7.
μ0 I 2 La
Fe 2 = (18)
2π (r + d3 )
μ0 I 2 d 4
Fe 4 = ∫ dx (19)
4π x x 2 + d 4 2

where, μ0 is the space permeability; I is the electric current; La is

the length of the armature; R is the rail radius; dn is the distance Fig. 4 Overall Model

between the armature and the rail.

F. The analysis of surface temperature

The friction between the objects can produce heat, electric
current flows through the resistance also can produce the joule
heat. The armature slides on rail, the temperature is decided
by the two heat in above. Average temperature can be
expressed as:
μ f FN v + I 2 Rc 2k 2 Fig. 5 Resistance Model
θ= ，v < (20)
4 Jra ( K1 + K 2 ) ra ρ 2 c2

μ f FN v + I 2 Rc 2k 2
θ= ，v ≥ (21)
3.6 J (r K 2 ρ 2 c2 v)
a
3 ra ρ 2 c2
where, J is the heat power; ra is the radius of the contacting
point; μ is the friction coefficient; FN is the contact pressure; K1
and K2 are the thermal conductivity; v is the speed of the
armature; I is the electric current; Rc is the contact resistance; ρc
is the heat capacity of per unit volume. Fig. 6 Inductance Model
Here, the contact resistance can be expressed as:
ρ + ρa
Re = r (22)
4ra
where, ρr and ρa are the resistivity of the two contacted
conductors; ra is the spots radius.
FN
ra =
ξ Hπ
where, ξ is the coefficient; H is the rigidity. Fig. 7 Counter Electromotive Force Model
G. Air resistance
Air resistance be calculated by the following formula: IV. EXPERIMENT
1 Based on the simulation of the basic parameters above, a new
Fa = Ca ρ a S a v 2 (23)
2 enhancement railgun launch test system was designed and built.
where, Ca is the coefficient of air resistance; ρa is the air The primary parameters and simulation parameters are the
density; Sa is the windward acreage of the armature; V is the same. The system of railgun was shown in Fig.8.
relative velocity between the armature and air.
 elastic deformation.

Fig. 8 Experimental System

V. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Under the condition of the total energy, circuit parameters
and other parameters unchanged, in the actual test process what
influence the speed parameters mostly are as below: the
pre-deformation variables of the C type armature rear wing, Fig. 10 The actual result (circle) and simulation result (square)
contact resistance coefficient in the bore. The pre-deformation 2) Figure 10 shows a slow drop trend. With the increasing of
variables of the C type armature rear wing can be set in the launch number, ‘A’ spot coefficient changes. This means that
armature machining process. The armature/rail contacting ‘A’ the situation in bore is worse.
spot coefficient presents a tendency of increasing, as the
number of emission increasing and presents a tendency of VI. CONCLUSION
reducing, as the surface cleaning degree increasing. In After many tests, based on the comparison between the tests
simulation, the relation curve of the C type armature rear wing and the simulation results, the parameters which have a
and the muzzle velocity, the relation curve of the armature/rail significant impact on the stability of launch have been obtained.
contacting ‘A’ spot coefficient between the muzzle velocity, It also has guidance in the improvement of the stability at many
the results can guide the practical experiment. times launch. The simulation method in the paper has a great
reference value for the future launch test.
A. Simulation and experimental results
Considering the actual production of the armature achieved, REFERENCES
set pre-deformation variables of the C type armature rear wing: [1] H. D. Fair ， “Advances in Electromagnetic Launch Science and
0~1mm, then the relationship of the variables and initial Technology and Its Applications, ” IEEE Trans. Magn. Vol.45, no.1,
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[7] Johan Gallant, Pascale Lehmann. “Experiments with brush projectiles in a
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Fig. 9 The actual result (circle) and simulation result (square)
Keeping the bore uncleaned and the other conditions Zhenchen Wang received the [Link]. degree in computer
unchanged, proceed with the emission tests under the same application in 2005 and received the Ph.D. degree in control
science and engineering in 2011 from Yanshan University,
conditions continuously, we can get the relationship of the PRC. He is currently an associate professor in Yanshan
times of emission and muzzle velocity; Setting the contacting University.
‘A’ spot coefficient increasing, we can get the relationship of His research interest covers pulsed power, electromagnetic
launch, computer measurement and control system.
‘A’ spot coefficient and the muzzle velocity. The actual result
and simulation result are shown in Fig.10.
B. Discussion
1) Figure 9 shows a kind curve that seems to be gently
mountain peaks form. This shows that the armature into the
bore should be preloaded on fit range; the form variables at the
end of the armature will cause a certain influence to the results
of the launch, but it is not very big if the form variables is in the