Electromagnetic Launcher Speed Control with a Multilevel Fast Triggering Time Algorithm (MFTTA)

Abstract

Electromagnetic launchers (EMLs) can provide accurate speed control of a projectile compared to gun-powder based alternatives. However large-caliber launchers have several pulse power supply (PPS) modules connected in parallel to reach the required current levels. Determination of the triggering instants of these parallel PPS modules is a crucial part of the launch mechanism. The triggering instants does not only affect the exit velocity but also the forces on the armature which can lead to transition i.e. separation of the armature from the rails. In this study, a triggering sequence optimization method that is faster than other alternatives in the literature and take into account speed-dependent parasitic masses and transition phenomena. Real-coded genetic algorithm (RCGA) and Partical Swarm Optimization (PSO) are used to create bencmarks. 32 capacitive PPS modules with 8 MJ total energy is used. With the achieved accuracy and speed, this study offer: An effective speed control algorithm with several physical constraints.

Scaling Laws for Electromagnetic Launchers Considering an Existing Pulse Power Supply

“…After deciding N t0 , the optimization algorithm for each λ divides into three parts: N=0, N=1, and N=2 where N states the number of modules fired after t=0. MFTTA is used to find the most suitable triggering times [17]. Having larger N helps to build pulsed-shaped current with a cost of need for more PPS modules.…”

Research on Distributed Measurement and Control System Based on FlexRay Bus

“…However, it was not designed from the hardware, and the software trigger method cannot guarantee the accuracy of the power timing synchronization trigger. A trigger sequence optimization method was proposed in [9]. It used a real coded genetic algorithm to create benchmarks.…”