Electro-Thermal-Mechanical Coupling Simulation of Electromagnetic Rail Launch System

Changfan Yang, Qiang Ren

Abstract: In past research, the multi-physics simulation of electromagnetic rail launcher (ERL) typically involved a combi-nation of electromagnetic-thermal coupling simulation and single structural field simulation. However, this approach constrained the accuracy of the mechanical field simulation and overall simu-lation. To address this limitation, an electric-thermal-mechanical coupling simulation method based on the finite element method is proposed in this article. By considering the operational state of the ERL system and treating thermal stress as the source of the mechanical field, a coupled model for the electric field, temperature field, and mechanical field is established, providing a more accurate depiction of the internal field distribution of the system. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been confirmed through a numerical case.