Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun

During the electromagnetic railgun launch process, high temperature and high current conditions can lead to armature wear, affecting armature/rail contact and degrading launch performance. This paper starts with the analysis of the metal liquid film formation at the armature/rail contact interface....

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Main Authors: Huayi Zhang, Benfeng Gu, Baoming Li, Chunxia Yang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: KeAi Communications Co., Ltd. 2025-07-01
Series:Defence Technology
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214914725000996
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author Huayi Zhang
Benfeng Gu
Baoming Li
Chunxia Yang
author_facet Huayi Zhang
Benfeng Gu
Baoming Li
Chunxia Yang
author_sort Huayi Zhang
collection DOAJ
description During the electromagnetic railgun launch process, high temperature and high current conditions can lead to armature wear, affecting armature/rail contact and degrading launch performance. This paper starts with the analysis of the metal liquid film formation at the armature/rail contact interface. 1D and 3D models are developed based on the characteristic relational equation obtained from the melt liquid film model. These models incorporate thermodynamic equilibrium phase diagram, transient heat and mass transfer model, copper-aluminum alloy reaction model, nonlinear electrical conductivity relational equation and nonlinear thermal conductivity relational equation to analyze the temperature distribution and copper-aluminum intermetallic compounds (Cu-Al IMCs) formation in the melt liquid film. The wear mechanism and influence law of armature are explained in detail from different perspectives to understand and predict the transition and gouging phenomena at the contact interface. The model's validity is confirmed by the results of electromagnetic launch experiments, providing insights for future structure design and material selection of the armature and rail.
format Article
id doaj-art-48ff2a110a874bb49035bf6d2999ddcb
institution Kabale University
issn 2214-9147
language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher KeAi Communications Co., Ltd.
record_format Article
series Defence Technology
spelling doaj-art-48ff2a110a874bb49035bf6d2999ddcb2025-08-20T03:24:30ZengKeAi Communications Co., Ltd.Defence Technology2214-91472025-07-014918019110.1016/j.dt.2025.03.015Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgunHuayi Zhang0Benfeng Gu1Baoming Li2Chunxia Yang3National Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, ChinaNational Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, ChinaCorresponding author.; National Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, ChinaCorresponding author.; National Key Laboratory of Transient Physics, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing, 210094, ChinaDuring the electromagnetic railgun launch process, high temperature and high current conditions can lead to armature wear, affecting armature/rail contact and degrading launch performance. This paper starts with the analysis of the metal liquid film formation at the armature/rail contact interface. 1D and 3D models are developed based on the characteristic relational equation obtained from the melt liquid film model. These models incorporate thermodynamic equilibrium phase diagram, transient heat and mass transfer model, copper-aluminum alloy reaction model, nonlinear electrical conductivity relational equation and nonlinear thermal conductivity relational equation to analyze the temperature distribution and copper-aluminum intermetallic compounds (Cu-Al IMCs) formation in the melt liquid film. The wear mechanism and influence law of armature are explained in detail from different perspectives to understand and predict the transition and gouging phenomena at the contact interface. The model's validity is confirmed by the results of electromagnetic launch experiments, providing insights for future structure design and material selection of the armature and rail.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214914725000996Electromagnetic launchArmature/rail contact interfaceMetal liquid filmArmature wearTransitionGouging
spellingShingle Huayi Zhang
Benfeng Gu
Baoming Li
Chunxia Yang
Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
Defence Technology
Electromagnetic launch
Armature/rail contact interface
Metal liquid film
Armature wear
Transition
Gouging
title Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
title_full Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
title_fullStr Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
title_full_unstemmed Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
title_short Numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
title_sort numerical simulation and experimental study on the characteristics of armature wear and contact process of small caliber railgun
topic Electromagnetic launch
Armature/rail contact interface
Metal liquid film
Armature wear
Transition
Gouging
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214914725000996
work_keys_str_mv AT huayizhang numericalsimulationandexperimentalstudyonthecharacteristicsofarmaturewearandcontactprocessofsmallcaliberrailgun
AT benfenggu numericalsimulationandexperimentalstudyonthecharacteristicsofarmaturewearandcontactprocessofsmallcaliberrailgun
AT baomingli numericalsimulationandexperimentalstudyonthecharacteristicsofarmaturewearandcontactprocessofsmallcaliberrailgun
AT chunxiayang numericalsimulationandexperimentalstudyonthecharacteristicsofarmaturewearandcontactprocessofsmallcaliberrailgun