초록 ▼

An inductive pulse forming network stores electrical energy delivered from an outside prime power supply in the electric field of a low-voltage, high-energy density network capacitor. Through timed actuation of a series of one or more switches, the energy stored in the electric field of the network

An inductive pulse forming network stores electrical energy delivered from an outside prime power supply in the electric field of a low-voltage, high-energy density network capacitor. Through timed actuation of a series of one or more switches, the energy stored in the electric field of the network capacitor is subsequently converted to electrical energy stored in the magnetic field of a network inductor. The energy stored in the network inductor supplies high-current, high-power electrical energy to drive an electromagnetic launcher such as a railgun.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. An inductive pulse forming network for use as a power supply comprising: a network capacitor, said network capacitor connectable to and chargeable by an outside prime power supply, said network capacitor for storing energy for transfer to a network inductor; a network switch

What is claimed is: 1. An inductive pulse forming network for use as a power supply comprising: a network capacitor, said network capacitor connectable to and chargeable by an outside prime power supply, said network capacitor for storing energy for transfer to a network inductor; a network switch coupled in series with said network capacitor; a network inductor coupled in series with said network switch and said network capacitor, said network inductor further coupled at a point between said network switch and a load and at a point between said load and said network capacitor, said network inductor coupled in parallel with said load; a load switch coupled in series with said network switch and said load, said load switch coupled at a point between said network switch and said load; and an arc suppression system impedance device coupled in parallel with said network inductor. 2. The inductive pulse forming network of claim 1 wherein said load comprises a railgun load comprising: a railgun resistance; and a railgun inductance. 3. The inductive pulse forming network of claim 1 wherein said network capacitor is a low-voltage capacitor in the range of about 2 to about 50 volts. 4. The inductive pulse forming network of 1 wherein said network capacitor is a high energy density capacitor having an energy density greater than about 2.5 MegaJouls/meter3. 5. The inductive pulse forming network of 1 further comprising at least one additional network capacitor coupled in parallel with said network capacitor, said at least one additional network capacitor and said network capacitor forming a network capacitor bank. 6. The inductive pulse forming network of 1 further comprising at least one additional network inductor coupled in series with said network inductor said at least one additional network inductor and said network inductor forming a network inductor bank. 7. The inductive pulse forming network of claim 6 further comprising at least one additional network capacitor coupled in parallel with said network capacitor, said at least one additional network capacitor and said network capacitor forming a network capacitor bank. 8. The inductive pulse forming network of 1 wherein said network capacitor stores electric field energy sufficient to operate said load more than once. 9. The inductive pulse forming network of 1 further comprising: an additional network switch coupled in series with said network switch. 10. The inductive pulse forming network system of claim 1 further comprising: a second inductive pulse forming network as in claim 1 coupled to said inductive pulse forming network in parallel. 11. The inductive pulse forming network of claim 1 wherein said load is an electromagnetic launcher load. 12. An inductive pulse forming network comprising: a low-voltage, high-energy density network capacitor, said network capacitor connectable to an outside prime power supply, said network capacitor chargeable to a voltage level supplied by a voltage source of said outside prime power supply; a network switch coupled in series with said network capacitor; a network inductor coupled in series with said network switch and said network capacitor, said network inductor further coupled at a point between said network switch and a load and at a point between said load and said network capacitor, said network inductor coupled in parallel with said load; a load switch coupled in series with said network switch and said load; and an arc suppression system impedance device coupled in parallel with said network inductor; wherein when said voltage level is stored in an electric field of said network capacitor and is converted to energy stored in a magnetic field of said network inductor and deliverable as a high-current pulse to said load, said high-current pulse sufficient to operate said load.