A Hybrid Simulation Model for Electromagnetic Launchers Including the Transient Inductance and Electromotive Force

Although electromagnetic launchers (EMLs) are superior to classical gun-powder-based launchers, they have to withstand extreme electrical and mechanical conditions. Therefore, the optimal design and precise simulations of these devices are crucial. In this article, a new simulation strategy for EMLs is proposed in order to achieve high accuracy and reduced complexity. The inductance and electromotive force (EMF) variations in the transient, which have a considerable influence on the launch process, are modeled using the finite element method (FEM) coupled with electrical circuit simulation. The proposed method has a good agreement with the experimental results of two EMLs (EMFY-1 and EMFY-2), which have 25- and 50-mm square bores and 3-m-length launchers. The study showed that the hybrid model with transient inductance and EMF calculations showed a good agreement with experiments that have 625 kJ-3.241-MJ input energies.