Design and Performance Analysis of an Electromagnetic Railgun

A railgun is a launcher that accelerates projectiles to super-velocity. In this paper, FEM-BEM coupling simulation method is used to study the electromagnetic characteristics, force and contact state of the railgun and an augmented hyperbolic quadrupole railgun structure is proposed. Compared with the traditional railgun and the non-augmented quadrupole railgun, it is found that the proposed railgun structure has excellent performance in electromagnetic compatibility, thrust on the armature, and the contact state between the armature and the rail. The research of this paper can provide a reference for the structural design of railguns.