Results of experiments performed with multi-fibre solid brush armatures
conference paper
Experimental solid brush armature research at PML-Pulse Physics has been performed initially with a 1 m, 15 mm calibre square-bore rail accelerator. The potential for arc erosion-free acceleration, deduced from theoretical modelling, could not be fully exploited experimentally with this accelerator. Therefore, a new 2.37 m, 20 mm calibre laboratory type of accelerator has been designed and constructed.
However, in up-scaling the armatures to the larger calibre, unexpected difficulties were encountered and a new launch package had to be designed. Experiments with the new launch package have been performed with several armature materials. For copper multi-fibre solid brush armatures, the design improvements resulted in doubling of the electrical 'action' that can be absorbed in the armature before its transition from a solid-solid, electrical armature-rail contact to plasma boundary layers occurs.
The paper describes the new accelerator, the development of the armatures and launch packages, the experimental set-up and the results obtained with two armature materials. The results are compared with computer model calculations.
However, in up-scaling the armatures to the larger calibre, unexpected difficulties were encountered and a new launch package had to be designed. Experiments with the new launch package have been performed with several armature materials. For copper multi-fibre solid brush armatures, the design improvements resulted in doubling of the electrical 'action' that can be absorbed in the armature before its transition from a solid-solid, electrical armature-rail contact to plasma boundary layers occurs.
The paper describes the new accelerator, the development of the armatures and launch packages, the experimental set-up and the results obtained with two armature materials. The results are compared with computer model calculations.
TNO Identifier
122023
Article nr.
P204
Source title
4th European Symposium on Electromagnetic Launch Technology, Celle, Germany, 2-6 May 1993
Pages
5-10
Files
To receive the publication files, please send an e-mail request to TNO Repository.