OVERCOMING RAILGUN PLASMA ARMATURE VELOCITY LIMIT

ELECTROMAGNETIC RAILGUNS EXPERIENCE A VELOCITY LIMIT AT ABOUT 6 KM/S WITH PLASMA ARMATURES. HIGHER VELOCITIES ARE NOT REGULARLY ACHIEVABLEDUE TO DELETERIOUS ENERGY ABSORPTION PLASMA PHENOMENA. AN APPROACH FOR EMPLOYING A CONFINED PLASMA IS BEING INVESTIGATED THAT IS EXPECTEDTO VIRTUALLY EMLIMINATE THE PROBLEMS OF CONVENTIONAL RAILGUN PLASMAS. THE FEASIBILITY IS BEING DETERMINED EMPLOYING A SOLID ARMATURE BODY FOR CONFINING A RAILGUN PLASMA ARAMATURE, TO OVERCOME CONVENTIONAL PLASMA ARMATURE VELOCITY LIMITS. THE KEY PARAMATERS ARE BEING DETERMINED THAT CONTROL PLASMA PROPERTIES WITHIN THE PLASMA CHANNEL. CONCEPTS AND SIZING CRITERIA ARE BEING DETERMINED FOR LOW MASS ARMATURE BODIES CAPABLE OF WITH STANDING THE PLASMA CHANNEL PRESSURES AND THE ACCELERATION STRESSES. DESIGN CRITERIA ARE BEING DEVELOPED FOR THE DIFFUSER NOZZLE. AN ARMATURE BODY IS BEING DESIGNED AND FABRICATED. SEVERAL OF THE CONFINED PLASMA ARMATURE ARE BEING CONDUCTED. THE FEASIBILITY OF THE CONFINED PLASMA ARMATURE CONCEPT IS BEING ASSESSED.WHEN SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED, HIGHER MUZZLE VELOCITIES WOULD BE ACHIEVABLE AND RAILGUN BORE EROSION WOULD BE SIGIFICANTLY REDUCED.