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Bore Insulator Protection Layer for a Naval Electromagnetic Launcher
Navy SBIR 2008.1 - Topic N08-074 ONR - Mrs. Tracy Frost - [email protected] Opens: December 10, 2007 - Closes: January 9, 2008 N08-074 TITLE: Bore Insulator Protection Layer for a Naval Electromagnetic Launcher TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Materials/Processes, Weapons ACQUISITION PROGRAM: Office of Naval Research Code 352, Railgun Innovative Naval Prototype (INP) The technology within this topic is restricted under the International Traffic in Arms Regulation (ITAR), which controls the export and import of defense-related material and services. Offerors must disclose any proposed use of foreign nationals, their country of origin, and what tasks each would accomplish in the statement of work in accordance with section 3.5.b.(7) of the solicitation. OBJECTIVE: Develop toughened electrically insulative and high temperature layer to protect the bore insulator that is used to separate conducting rails in an electromagnetic (EM) launcher (electric railgun). DESCRIPTION: The US Navy is pursuing the development of an electromagnetic launcher (also known as a railgun) for long range naval surface fire support. An electromagnetic launcher consists of two parallel electrical conductors called rails, and a moving element, called the armature. Current is passed down one rail, through the armature, and back up the other rail. This causes strong magnetic fields, high temperatures, and strong lateral forces on the rails and armature in the launcher bore. A pair of electrical insulators maintains the separation between the rails. These insulators also provide lateral guidance to the armature. The bore face of the insulator material must be able to withstand the severe mechanical, electrical, and thermal environment present in the bore of a high power electromagnetic launcher. This surface must be able to survive sliding contact of aluminum armature and polymer bore rider materials at velocities up to 2.5 km/sec, and possibly concurrent balloting loads. In order to survive these conditions, the face of the bore insulator must possess adequate toughness, have high strength and stiffness, high shear strength for sliding contact, all at high transient temperatures, a low CTE and be electrically and thermally insulating,. The material is required to resist thermal breakdown in the presence of plasma due to high current electrical arcing and shocked gas. A notional insulating bore material might have dimensions such as .25m x .05m x 10m. The material must be manufacturable as well as affordable for these dimensions. Potential protective layers may be bonded claddings, jackets, etc. PHASE I: Develop a process approach to manufacture tough electrically insulating bore materials of significant lengths (7 � 12 meters). Conduct any necessary subscale tests needed to show that the proposed process is suitable for Phase II demonstration. PHASE II: Produce sample electrically insulating bore materials of significant length that meet the needs of the EM launcher environment. Demonstrate that the material provides the required material property characteristics described above. Further develop and demonstrate the process for fabricating long pieces. Produce a prototype set of bore insulators layers for testing in a large scale EM Launcher. EM Gun may be provided as government furnished test asset, or as teaming relationship with other EM gun test sites. Potential test sites include various scale railguns operated by Universities and Defense contractors. The results of testing may be classified. The Phase II product may become classified. PHASE III: The materials process developed by the Phase II effort will be applied to Navy railgun proof of concept demonstration and design efforts in the lab as well as industry advanced barrel contractors. Successful bore insulator solutions will be installed in a weapon system on board ship upon transition to PEO IWS, PMS 405, ONR Program Office and integration with industry launcher manufacturers' production weapon systems that will be sent to the fleet. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The materials and processes developed could be applied to any electro-mechanical applications particularly under conditions of high heat and high stress requiring both the beneficial thermal and high compression strength aspects of materials such as ceramics combined with the need for higher toughness and relatively long sections. Example applications could be high-speed mag-lev applications, possibly very large bore MRI applications, and sections for re-entry protection of space-craft. REFERENCES: 2. Noel, A.P.; Bauer, D.P., "Laminated Barrel Axial Stiffness Assessment [of railguns] ", Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on , Volume: 37 Issue: 1 , Jan 2001, Page(s): 454 -456. 3. Newman, D.C.; Bauer, D.P.; Wahrer, D.; Knoth, E., "A Maintainable Large Bore, High Performance Railgun Barrel", Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on , Volume: 31 Issue: 1 , January 1995, Page(s): 344 -347. 4. Hurn, T.W.; D'Aoust, J.; Sevier, L.; Johnson, R.; Wesley, J., "Development of an Advanced Electromagnetic Gun Barrel", Magnetics, IEEE Transactions on , Volume: 29 Issue: 1 , Jan. 1993, Page(s): 837 -842. KEYWORDS: Electromagnetic launcher; railgun; toughened ceramics; polymers; composites; insulator TPOC: Benjamin McGlasson
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