INITIATION OF ELECTRIC-CURRENT IN THE HIGH-VELOCITY ARMATURE OF A RAILGUN

This paper deals with the initiation of working current in a railgun under conditions of a high initial velocity of the armature. The problem of ensuring galvanic coupling (electric contact) between the railgun electrodes directly via moving armature is not limited to the development of mechanical contact between the armature and electrodes and is a separate problem. The initiation of working current in a railgun during armature motion is a particular case of the problem of initiating a self-sustained electric discharge in the discharge gap volume. The distinguishing feature of this problem resides in that the discharge gap electrodes, as well as the interelectrode medium, are renewed at the rate of armature motion in the process of both initiation and development of discharge. The methods of initiation of working current in a railgun, which are employed in practice, are analyzed. The electric supply system is proposed, which contains an additional circuit of working current initiation. The optimum conditions for the settling of working current in the railgun are discussed and analyzed.