This paper presents the design of a 3-coil reluctance launcher system and realization of an experimental prototype. A Maxwell model of the system was constructed and finite elements analysis (FEA) was applied before building the experimental prototype. The effect of variations in projectile parameters (such as material and length of the projectile) on projectile velocity was studied using the model. Then the experimental prototype of the launcher system was built. A velocity measurement system was also designed and implemented to measure the muzzle velocity of the launched projectiles. A total of 9 projectiles of 3 different sizes made of 3 different materials were constructed to be launched by the system. Each projectile was launched via capacitors charged with DC voltage between 50 and 200 V and the muzzle velocities were measured. Finally, the effects of projectile material and projectile length on muzzle velocity and launcher efficiency were examined. In this study, an easy-to-use, low-cost, portable, and structurally simple reluctance launcher that can be operated in relatively low voltage levels was implemented. Theoretical and experimental results were compared and it is concluded that the results are consistent with each other.

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In this paper, the 3D model of a reluctance electromagnetic launcher was implemented using Maxwell program. The effect of the different projectile geometries was examined via the model. The projectile geometry with the highest velocity was determined. After constructing 3D model of the launcher, projectiles with different geometries were built and finally various projectiles with different geometries were analyzed. As a result, it was determined that the tubular projectile with 4 mm radius hole was the fastest among the tubular projectiles. Among the projectiles with notches, the projectile with 4 notches was launched faster than the others when the parameter was the number of notches, and the projectile with 0.5 mm notch radius was faster than the others when the parameter was the notch radius. In this paper, the highest velocity was reached the tubular projectile with 4 mm radius that was built with the 1050 material. The value of this velocity was 24.12 m/s.

ÖZETBu çalışmada, Sonlu Elemanlar Yöntemi ile çözüm yapabilen Maxwell yazılımı kullanılarak tek sargılı bir relüktans fırlatıcının iki boyutlu modeli oluşturulmuştur. Oluşturulan modelde mermi parametrelerinin mermi çıkış hızına etkisi incelenmiştir. Mermi çıkış hızının en yüksek olduğu duruma ait mermi parametreleri belirlenmiştir. İncelenen mermi parametreleri mermilerin yapıldığı malzemeler, mermilerin çapları ve mermilerin uzunluğudur. Her bir parametre için relüktans fırlatıcı modelinin analizi yapılmıştır. Analiz sonucunda merminin yapıldığı malzemenin bağıl manyetik geçirgenliğinin artmasıyla mermi hızının da arttığı tespit edilmiştir. Mermi çapı namlu çapının yarısı olduğunda ve mermi uzunluğu sargı uzunluğuna eşit veya biraz büyük olduğunda daha yüksek hızlar elde edilmektedir. En yüksek hız 1050'den yapılmış 8 cm uzunluğunda ve 3 mm çapındaki mermide elde edilmiştir. Bu hız değeri 19,76 m/sn dir. Bu çalışmada ayrıca merminin boru tipinde olması durumu da incelenmiştir. Daha önceki çalışmalardan elde edilen sonuçlardan farklı olarak merminin boru tipi olması durumunda mermi hızının arttığı tespit edilmiştir. Bu hız değeri 22,08 m/sn olmaktadır. Modelde uygulanan gerilim DC 250 volttur. ABSTRACTIn this study, two dimensional model of a single-coil reluctance launcher was constructed via Maxwell software which uses Finite Elements Method as a solver. The effects of projectile parameters on muzzle velocity were examined with the constructed model. Projectile parameters were determined when the muzzle velocity is at its highest value. The studied projectile parameters are the material, diameter and the length of the projectile. Analysis of the reluctance launcher was carried out for each parameter. As a result of the analysis it was determined that the velocity of the projectile increases as the relative magnetic permeability of the material increases. Higher velocities are obtained when the diameter of the projectile is the half of the muzzle diameter and the length of the projectile is equal to or a bit longer than the length of the coil. The highest velocity was obtained with the 8 cm length, 3 mm diameter projectile constructed from 1050 material. The highest velocity is 19.76 m/sec. The tube-type projectile was also studied with in this study. In contrast to the past studies, It was determined that the velocity of the projectile increases when it is tube type. The obtained velocity value is 22.08 m/sec. in this case. 250 V DC voltage is applied to the model.