Performance of a Four-Stage Induction Coilgun That Uses a Solenoid Projectile

Electromagnetic launchers such as multistage induction coilguns use pulsed power sources for driving the launchers. They are being widely researched around the globe due to their promising capability to replace the archetypal chemical launchers in hypervelocity launching applications successfully. The choice of the design and the type of projectile used in a multistage induction coilgun becomes essential in achieving a higher launch velocity of the payload. The projectile used can be either a sleeve type or a solenoid type. The sleeve projectile is of the metallic cylindrical type, whereas the solenoid projectile is of the wire wound type. This paper analyzes the launching performance of a four-stage induction coilgun that uses solenoid projectiles made of aluminum. The simulation is performed using a finite element method (FEM)-based tool, Ansys. The simulation results are experimentally verified with the hardware setup of the four-stage induction coilgun designed and developed at the authors' laboratory. The results show that the solenoid projectile achieves a higher launch velocity than the conventional sleeve-type projectiles. The reason for this velocity enhancement is investigated and explained in the paper. From the study, it can be concluded that a solenoid projectile should be preferred over the conventional sleeve-type projectile to achieve a higher launch velocity.