Doctor of Philosophy / Railguns are highly complex multi-disciplinary engineering systems that use electricity to launch projectiles at very high speeds. This dissertation investigates new technologies, models, and theories necessary for the development of practical systems to bring the railgun out of the lab and into the field. The research focuses on improvements to the size, weight, performance, and efficiency of components of the railgun's power supply as well as improvements to its control. Extensive theories useful for the design and modeling of the system were developed with emphasis on scaling, efficiency, and physics. These technologies were experimentally demonstrated on a reduced scale railgun system.

Hypersonic flight at sea-level conditions induces severe thermal loads not seen by any other type of current hypersonic system. Appropriate design of the hypersonic round requires a solid understanding of the thermal environment. Numerous codes were obtained and assessed for their applicability to the problem under study, and outside of the GASP Conjugate Heat Transfer module, Navier-Stokes code from Aerosoft, Inc., no efficient codes are available that can model the aerodynamic heating response for a fully detailed projectile, including all subassemblies, over an entire trajectory. Although the codes obtained were not applicable to a fully detailed thermal soak analyses they were useful in providing insight into ablation effects. These initial trade studies indicated that ablation of up to 1.25 inches could be expected for a Carbon-Carbon nosetip in this flight environment. In order to capture the thermal soak effects a new methodology (BMA) was required. This methodology couples the Sandia aerodynamic heating codes with a full thermal finite element model of the desired projectile, using the finite element code ANSYS from ANSYS, Inc. Since ablation can be treated elsewhere it was not included in the BMA methodology. Various trajectories of quadrant elevations of 0.5, 10, 30, 50, and 80 degrees were analyzed to determine thermal time histories and maximum operating temperatures. All of the trajectories have the same launch condition, Mach 8 sea-level, and therefore will undergo the same initial thermal spike in temperature at the nose-tip of approximately 3,100 K (5600R). Of the five trajectories analyzed the maximum internal temperatures experienced occurred for the 50 degree quadrant elevation trajectory. This trajectory experienced temperatures in excess of 1,000 K (1800R) for more than 80% of its flight time. The BMA methodology was validated by comparisons with experiment and computational fluid solutions with an uncertainty of 10% at a cost savings of over three orders of magnitude. / Ph. D.

Pagrindiniai bėgių tipo elektromagnetinių svaidyklių technologijos uždaviniai yra susiję su daugybe fizikinių reikinių, vykstančių sviedinio kontaktų sąlyčio su bėgiais riboje. Todėl elektromagnetinių procesų, atsirandančių dėl didelių elektros srovės tankių ir slydimo greičių tyrimas yra svarbus šios srities uždavinys. Dėl magnetinės difuzijos ir greito sviedinio judėjimo, srovė koncentruojasi galinėje kontakto dalyje, kuri dėl stipraus Joule šilimo greitai susidėvi, o tai apriboja svaidyklės efektyvumą. Disertacijoje pateikiami magnetinio lauko difuzijos tyrimai bėgių tipo svaidyklėse panaudojant specialius jutiklius magnetinių laukų matavimui. Šie nauji jutikliai, pagaminti iš plonų La0,83Sr0,17MnO3 sluoksnių, pasižyminčių milžiniškos magnetovaržos (MM) reiškiniu (MM-B-skaliariniai jutikliai), buvo pritaikyti svaidyklėse, veikiančiose statiniame ir dinaminiame režime, esant dideliems elektromagnetinių triukšmų lygiams ir mechaniniams įtempiams. Darbo metu buvo nustatyta, jog šiais jutikliais galima išmatuoti stipraus magnetinio lauko impulso amplitudę, kai nėra žinoma šių laukų kryptis. Buvo ištirti nevienalyčių magnetinių laukų pasiskirstymai bėgiuose, atsirandantys dėl artumo efekto bei greičio skinefekto, sviediniui judant greičiau nei 1500m/s. Bandymai su įtvirtintu daugelio šepetėlių konstrukcijos sviediniu parodė, kad priekiniai šepetėliai, dėl nepakankamo Lorenco jėgos sukuriamo slėgio, gali pararasti elektrinį kontaktą su bėgiais. / The development of rails and armatures which ensure a sliding solid-to-solid contact during the whole projectile acceleration is a great challenge in the field of railgun technology. Multifaceted physics exists at the sliding contact interface: The current concentrates at the rear of the interface due to magnetic diffusion processes and the fast armature movement. Consequently, Joule heating leads to enhanced wear in this region. In this dissertation, magnetic diffusion in railguns is investigated by means of measuring magnetic fields with CMR-B-scalar sensors at static and dynamic experimental conditions. These novel sensors, based on La0.83Sr0.17MnO3 thin films exhibiting colossal magnetoresistance were adapted for the use at railguns. It was found that these sensors are effective tools to measure the magnitude of high pulsed magnetic fields independent of the field orientation. Magnetic field distributions influenced by proximity and velocity skin effect could be measured in the harsh railgun environment. The obtained results allowed to estimate the skin depth in the rails at the sliding interface of a fast moving armature (>1500m/s). Furthermore experiments with fixed multiple brush armatures showed that front brushes can have contact problems in case of missing contact pressure.

The development of rails and armatures which ensure a sliding solid-to-solid contact during the whole projectile acceleration is a great challenge in the field of railgun technology. Multifaceted physics exists at the sliding contact interface: The current concentrates at the rear of the interface due to magnetic diffusion processes and the fast armature movement. Consequently, Joule heating leads to enhanced wear in this region. In this dissertation, magnetic diffusion in railguns is investigated by means of measuring magnetic fields with CMR-B-scalar sensors at static and dynamic experimental conditions. These novel sensors, based on La0.83Sr0.17MnO3 thin films exhibiting colossal magnetoresistance were adapted for the use at railguns. It was found that these sensors are effective tools to measure the magnitude of high pulsed magnetic fields independent of the field orientation. Magnetic field distributions influenced by proximity and velocity skin effect could be measured in the harsh railgun environment. The obtained results allowed to estimate the skin depth in the rails at the sliding interface of a fast moving armature (>1500m/s). Furthermore experiments with fixed multiple brush armatures showed that front brushes can have contact problems in case of missing contact pressure. / Pagrindiniai bėgių tipo elektromagnetinių svaidyklių technologijos uždaviniai yra susiję su daugybe fizikinių reikinių, vykstančių sviedinio kontaktų sąlyčio su bėgiais riboje. Todėl elektromagnetinių procesų, atsirandančių dėl didelių elektros srovės tankių ir slydimo greičių tyrimas yra svarbus šios srities uždavinys. Dėl magnetinės difuzijos ir greito sviedinio judėjimo, srovė koncentruojasi galinėje kontakto dalyje, kuri dėl stipraus Joule šilimo greitai susidėvi, o tai apriboja svaidyklės efektyvumą. Disertacijoje pateikiami magnetinio lauko difuzijos tyrimai bėgių tipo svaidyklėse panaudojant specialius jutiklius magnetinių laukų matavimui. Šie nauji jutikliai, pagaminti iš plonų La0,83Sr0,17MnO3 sluoksnių, pasižyminčių milžiniškos magnetovaržos (MM) reiškiniu (MM-B-skaliariniai jutikliai), buvo pritaikyti svaidyklėse, veikiančiose statiniame ir dinaminiame režime, esant dideliems elektromagnetinių triukšmų lygiams ir mechaniniams įtempiams. Darbo metu buvo nustatyta, jog šiais jutikliais galima išmatuoti stipraus magnetinio lauko impulso amplitudę, kai nėra žinoma šių laukų kryptis. Buvo ištirti nevienalyčių magnetinių laukų pasiskirstymai bėgiuose, atsirandantys dėl artumo efekto bei greičio skinefekto, sviediniui judant greičiau nei 1500m/s. Bandymai su įtvirtintu daugelio šepetėlių konstrukcijos sviediniu parodė, kad priekiniai šepetėliai, dėl nepakankamo Lorenco jėgos sukuriamo slėgio, gali pararasti elektrinį kontaktą su bėgiais.

This thesis discusses the application of Slab Coupled Optical Fiber Sensors (SCOS) in a railgun. The specific goal of these sensors is to create an electric field profile at a specific point in the gun as the armature passes. The thesis explores the theory that powers the railgun as well as the principles of the SCOS sensors. It also elaborates on the various noise sources found throughout the detection system and concludes with a summary of the various field tests that were performed throughout this project. There are many benefits to using a railgun over traditional weapons in the field. These benefits not only include both safety and cost, but also greater overall defense capabilities. Unfortunately, the velocity skin effect (VSE) causes the current railgun designs to have limited life span through wear on the rails. In order to develop superior railguns and railgun armatures, the accurate detection of the VSE through measuring the electric field is of great interest. We used a SCOS, a small directionally precise dielectric sensor, as a small sensing area is required to be able to measure the electric fields inside of the rail gun. The actual usage of the SCOS within the railgun produced an additional set of problems that are not commonly encountered in the lab. The chief amongst these was noise from strain, RF pickup, and phase noise. This thesis also reports various methods used to reduce each of these noise sources.

Cette thèse a été dirigée par le Professeur Kauffmann de l’Université de Franche-Comté. Le co-directeur de l’Ecole Royale Militaire était le Docteur Johan Gallant et les essais à l’Institut franco-allemande de recherches de Saint-Louis (ISL) étaient encadrés par le Docteur Markus Schneider.Un lanceur à rails conventionnel est composé de deux rails conducteur connecté par un projectile. L’interaction entre le champ magnétique induit par le courant dans les rails et le courant dans le projectile résulte en une force électromagnétique accélérant. Dans cette thèse on utilise un projectile avec deux ponts de courant. Pour un lanceur à rails conventionnel la méthode la plus efficace pour augmenter la force sur le projectile est d’augmenter le courant dans les rails. Mais la densité de courant est limitée. L’échauffement des contacts entre les rails et les ponts de courant par l’effet Joule et la force de frottement, peut résulter dans la transformation d’un contact solide dans un contact plasma, ce qui est à éviter. Une possibilité d’adresser ce problème est d’ajouter des ponts de courant pour améliorer la distribution de courant. Une autre possibilité est d’appliquer un champ magnétique extérieur généré par un circuit extérieur qui nous permet d’augmenter la force électromagnétique sans augmenter le courant dans le circuit intérieur. Dans cette thèse l’objectif est d’étudier la distribution de courant et de température dans un projectile à deux ponts de courant pour un lanceur augmenté. Comme les deux ponts de courants et les rails du circuit intérieur forment un circuit fermé, le champ augmenté va induire un courant de circulation qui influence la distribution de courant entre les brosses. Le premier modèle de simulation est un modèle global du lanceur en PSpice qui nous permet de déterminer les courants globaux, la force électromagnétique, la position et la vitesse du projectile et la température moyenne des brosses. Le modèle global prend en compte l’effet de peau dû à la vitesse et est validé par des résultats expérimentaux. Le deuxième modèle est un modèle local en ANSYS, un code à éléments finis, pour un projectile fixe. Ce modèle permet une étude locale de la distribution de courant et de température. Un modèle pour la zone de contact entre les rails et la brosse est introduit. Le modèle local est utilisé pour calculer les coefficients de l’équation de force dans le modèle global. Les résultats des deux modèles de simulation sont cohérents.Le lanceur LARA, utilisé pour les essais, a une longueur de 1.5 m et un calibre de 15 mm. On disposait de trois bancs de condensateurs pour l’alimentation du lanceur en configuration non-augmenté et augmenté. Les vitesses à la bouche obtenues varient entre 48 et 214 m/s. Pour la détermination de la distribution de courant nous avons utilisé une méthode proposée par [SCH05a]. Cette méthode est une combinaison d’une mesure de tension entre deux pins dans les rails et dans une boucle. Nous avons constaté que les signaux obtenus avec cette méthode, appliquée dans ce régime de vitesse, sont perturbés par les courants de Foucault induits avant le projectile et les résultats ne répondent pas à nos attentes. Une méthode analytique basée sur la mesure de tension dans la boucle a été développée. Les résultats expérimentaux sont comparés avec les simulations. Nous avons constaté une bonne correspondance entre les valeurs des courants maximaux dans les rails calculés avec PSpice et les valeurs expérimentales, mais le courant calculé avec PSpice est plus faible dans la phase décroissante du courant. Les erreurs sur la vitesse sont inférieures à 10 %. Les deux modèles de simulation et les essais montrent que la brosse avant porte la plus grande partie du courant. La dernière partie de cette thèse est une étude paramétrique avec ANSYS pour l’avant-projet du circuit intérieur d’un lanceur à rail existant. / This thesis was supervised by Professor Jean-Marie Kauffmann of the University of Franche-Comté. The co-director at the Royal Military Academy was Dr. Johan Gallant and the experiments at Franch-German Research Institute ISL were directed by Dr. Markus Schneider. A conventional electromagnetic railgun is composed of two conducting rails connected by a projectile. The magnetic field generated by the current in the rails interacts in the projectile resulting in an electromagnetic force accelerating the projectile. The projectile used in this thesis is two brush projectile. For a conventional railgun the most efficient way to increase the force on the projectile is to increase the current in the rails. But the current density is limited. The heating of the sliding contacts between the brushes and the rails due to the Joule losses and the friction can cause the contacts and can result in contact transition which we want to avoid. One way to reduce the heating is to add more current brushes to obtain a better current distribution between the brushes. Another way is to add an extra pair of rails and create an additional magnetic field. This augmenting field allows us to increase the electromagnetic force without increasing the current through the projectile. In this thesis the current and heat distribution in a two brush projectile in a parallel augmented railgun is studied through simulations and experiments. Because the current brushes and the inner rails form a closed loop, the augmenting field will induce a loop current and influence the current distribution between the brushes. The first simulation model is a global model of the railgun in PSice which allows us to predict the global currents as well as the average temperature in the brushes, the force on the projectile and the position and the velocity of the projectile. The model takes into account the velocity skin effect and was validated based on experiments. The second model is a finite element model in ANSYS for a fixed projectile. This model allows a local study of the current and temperature distribution in the projectile. A model for the contact between the rails and the projectile is introduced. The local model is used to calculate the time-dependent coefficients for the force equation used in the global model. Both simulation models are compared and a good correspondence is found. The LARA railgun of ISL with a length of 1.5 m and a square caliber of 15 mm has been used for the experiments. A maximum of three capacitor banks was used for the non-augmented and the augmented configuration. The muzzle velocities obtained in the experiments vary between 48 and 214 m/s. To determine the current distribution between the brushes a technique proposed by [SCH05a] has been used. It is based on the measurement of the voltage between two pins in the rails in combination with the voltage in a loop. When applied to this velocity range, the eddy currents in front of the projectile hamper the interpretation of the signals and the results are not what we expected. An analytical method for the determination of the current distribution based on the voltage in the loop was introduced. The results are then compared with the results of the simulations. The maximum current in the rails found with PSpice shows a good correspondence with the experiments, the calculated decrease of the current is slightly overestimated. The errors on the velocities are less than 10%. Both simulation models and experiments show that the brush towards the breech carries the greater part of the current for the non-augmented as well as the augmented railgun. In the last part a parametric study is carried out with ANSYS for the preliminary design of an augmenting circuit for an existing railgun.

Materials for extreme electrical contacts need to have high electrical conductivity coupled with good structural properties. Potential applications include motor contacts, high power switches, and the components of electromagnetic launch (EML) systems. In particular, the lack of durability of these materials in rail components limits practical EML implementation. These rails experience significant amounts of Joule heating, due to extreme current densities, and subsequent thermally-assisted wear. New more durable materials solutions are needed for these components. A systematic materials selection study was executed to identify and compare candidate materials solutions. Several possible candidate non-dominated materials as well as hybrid materials that could potential fill the "white spaces" on the Ashby charts were identified. A couple potential candidate materials were obtained and evaluated. These included copper-tungsten W-Cu, "self-lubricating" graphite-impregnated Cu, and Gr-W-Cu composites with different volume fractions of the constituents. The structure-property relations were determined through mechanical and electrical resistivity testing. A unique test protocol for exposing mechanical test specimens to extreme current densities up to 1.2 GA/m2 was developed and used to evaluate these candidate materials. The systematic design of multi-functional materials for these extreme electrical contacts requires more than an empirical approach. Without a good understanding of both the tribological and structural performance, the optimization of the microstructure will not be quickly realized. By using micromechanics modeling and other materials design modeling tools coupled with systematic mechanical and tribological experiments, the design of materials for these applications can potentially be accelerated. In addition, using these tools, more complex functionally-graded materials tailored to the application can be systematically designed. In this study, physics- and micromechanics-based models were used to correlate properties to the volume fraction of the constituents of the evaluated candidate materials. Properties correlated included density, elastic modulus, hardness, strength, and electrical resistivity of the W-Cu materials.

Collision with orbital debris poses a serious threat to spacecraft and astronauts. Hypervelocity impacts resulting from collisions mean that objects with a mass less than 1g can cause mission-ending damage to spacecraft. A means of shielding spacecraft against collisions is necessary. A means of testing candidate shielding methods for their efficacy in mitigating hypervelocity impacts is therefore also necessary. Cal Poly’s Electromagnetic Railgun was designed with the goal of creating a laboratory system capable of simulating hypervelocity (≥ 3 km/s) impacts. Due to several factors, the system was not previously capable of high-velocity (≥ 1 km/s) tests. A deficient projectile design is revised, and a new design is tested. The new projectile design is demonstrated to enable far greater performance than the previous design, with a muzzle velocity ≥ 1 km/sbeing verified during testing, and an energy conversion efficiency of 2.7%. A method of improving contact and controlling wear at the projectile/rail interface using silver plating and conductive silver paste is validated. A mechanism explaining the problem of internal arcing within the railgun barrel is proposed, and design recommendations are made to eliminate arcing on the basis of the work done during testing. The primary structural members are found to be deficient for their application and a failure analysis of a failed member, loading analysis of the railgun barrel, and design of new structures is undertaken and presented.