External magnetic field influence on the behaviour of arc-driven railguns

An analysis of the effects of the application of an external magnetic field on the behavior of plasma-driven railguns is carried out. An evaluation of the quantity of material ablated from the rail and insulator walls and of the mass leakage from the rear of the arc and an estimate of secondary arc formation are carried out, modeling the characteristic quantities of the plasma arc by means of an adimensional model that was suitably adapted in order to reproduce some experimental data. The calculated data can reproduce the experimental data if a plasma mass leakage from the rear of the arc is assumed. The analysis of the application of the external field for the same propulsive force of a conventional railgun has shown that reduction of ablated mass, increase of final velocities, and a smaller probability of secondary arc formation can be reached.<
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