Understanding the behaviour of magnetic field distribution of railgun under transient conditions using finite element method

The magnetic field distribution in the rails is a crucial factor in comprehending railgun behaviour. The projectile's rapid movement has a significant impact on the magnetic field. If the dispersion of the magnetic field conclusions regarding the conductors are known suitable methods can be used to sketch the magnetic field distribution. The railgun operates on the premise that a high current flow through the rails and armature will create a strong magnetic field. As a result, before designing magnetic shielding, it is necessary to study the features of the magnetic field distribution. The shape of rail and armature cross section is very essential in rail gun design as it determines the magnetic field distribution over rail and armature. The rail gun geometries with rectangular, convex and concave rail cross-sections are compared and simulated using finite element method (FEM). This method is used to determine the magnetic field distribution over rail and armature by sweeping armature position for different rail cross sections. It is observed that for the different rail/armature shapes like rectangular, convex and concave shapes, the C shaped convex armature possesses strong magnetic fields with minimum current density concentration at the throat and trailing end of the armature. From simulation, it can be shown that the magnetic flux density is a descending function of the central angle. The electromagnetic (EM) rail gun launching mechanism was therefore proven to be compatible with the circular concave armature. © 2023 The Authors