A High-Velocity Multistage Electromagnetic Accelerator

A classical pattern of a multistage electromagnetic accelerator for hurling massive ferromagnetic projectiles by means of a unidirectional traveling magnetic field is considered. An approach to the development of a simulation dynamic model of the accelerator is presented. The model is based on differential equations reflecting the dynamic state of the electromechanical accelerator system, the solution for which is obtained by structural simulation methods with the use of the MATLAB/Simulink software package. A control method is proposed to provide an increase in the final velocity of the ferromagnetic projectile. The effect of the number of the sequential stages of the electromagnetic accelerator exerted on the final projectile velocity is established, and a quantitative assessment thereof is presented. By using the example of a six-stage electromagnetic accelerator, time diagrams that reflect the dynamic characteristics of a variant of the simulation model are obtained.