Comparison of System Characteristics between Current and InductionArmature in Electromagnetic Coil Launcher

An armature is the key component in the device for energy exchange in an electromagnetic coil launcher (EMCL).In this work, in view of their working principle and structural characteristics, mathematical models of the induction solid armature launcher (ISAL), induction coil armature launcher (ICAL), series current coil armature launcher (SCCAL) and parallel current coil armature launcher (PCCAL), were deduced, and their simulation system was built with MATLAB based on the equal circuit method so that their performances as an electromagnetic launcher were examined and compared.A series of parameters including the dimension and material of the solid armature, the diameter of the winding coil armature, the initial velocity and the initial position of the armature, the positions order of the armature in a multi-stage launcher were simulated and analyzed.The conclusions reached show that a pulling effect exists in the initial and the last stages of the ISAL and ICAL that leads to the decrease of the muzzle velocity of the armature and the payloads, that no pulling effect occurs in current coil armature launcher (CCAL), that the muzzle velocity can be improved when the diameter of the armature of ICAL and SCCAL increases and the diameter of the coil armature of the PCCAL decreases, and that CCAL is more suitable for accelerating the payload at a low velocity with a launcher of fewer stages.Our work is of great significance for guiding the selection and design of the armature structure.