Comparison of sulfur hexafluoride and synthetic air in a simulated flux compression generator environment

Expendable, explosively driven shock tubes are used to propel aluminum flyer plates toward dense stainless steel plugs to simulate gas compression in explosive magnetic flux compression generators (FCGs). Armature velocity in a typical FCG is calculated using the Gurney method and shock tubes are designed to drive the flyer plates at similar velocities. Experiments with sulfur hexafluoride and synthetic air are presented.