Vacuum System for Hypervelocity Railgun Experiments

摘要

In order for railguns to achieve very high velocities it will be necessary to operate at reduced atmospheric pressure, perhaps even high vacuum. Use of railguns in a space environment will also be facilitated by successful vacuum operation. Equation of state research requires projectile impact on target prior to a bow shock wave necessitating high vacuum environment. The H Division/LLNL Railgun Project achieved successful high vacuum operation. A modular, free-standing vacuum system was designed, fabricated and characterized to conduct experiments with single and multi-staged hypervelocity railguns. Operating environment for the experiments was in the low 10 exp -6 torr pressure range, equivalent to the atmosphere at about 75/100 miles altitude. The first successful high vacuum region (i.e., low pressure side of the Paschen voltage breakdown curve) railgun experiments were performed with this apparatus. This report describes the vacuum system and its operating characteristics. (ERA citation 11:003507)