HIGH REPETITION RATE PULSE COAXIAL INDUCTION ACCELERATOR

TETRA CORPORATION IS DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE ELECTROMAGNETIC LAUNCHER (EML) TECHNOLOGY FOR HYPERVELOCITY (2-10 KM/SEC), MODERATE MASS PROJECTILES (50 TO 100 GRAMS). THIS TECHNOLOGY UTILIZED A UNIQUE LINEAR INDUCTION COAXIAL COIL CONFIGURATION DRIVEN BY A NEAR-ARBITRARY WAVESHAPE REPETITIVE (200 HZ-10 KHZ) PULSED POWER SYSTEM. THIS TECHNIQUE REPRESENTS A BREAKTHROUGH IN EML TECHNOLOGY AND PROVIDES SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN EFFICIENCY, MAXIMUM VELOCITY, ENERGY RECOVERY AND REPETITION RATE OVER CONVENTIONAL APPROACHES. THIS NEW GENERATOR TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED UNDER SDIO AND SPAWAR FUNDING. THE UNIQUE INDUCTION COIL CONFIGURATION MATCHED TO THE COIL DRIVER PROVIDES FOR 80-90% PROJECTILE EFFICIENCY, 70-80% REPETITIVE ENERGY RECOVERY, LONG SYSTEM LIFE (NO ELECTRICAL DISCHARGES OR ARCS) WITHOUT HIGH POWER HIGH REPETITION RATE OPENING OR CLOSING SWITCHES. TETRA'S EML TECHNOLOGY CAN AID IN MEETING DOD'S CRITICAL TECHNOLOGIES REQUIREMENTS IN HYPERVELOCITY PROJECTILES AND BE APPLIED TO THE NAVY'S PHALANX ANTIMISSILE SYSTEM AND THE ARMY'S VULCAN ANTIAIRCRAFT SYSTEM.