Study on Lubrication Characteristics of Metal Liquid Film Based on Electromagnetic-Elastic Mechanics-Hydrodynamics Multiphysics Coupling Model

Materials (Basel). 2020 Feb 27;13(5):1056. doi: 10.3390/ma13051056.

Abstract

In an electromagnetic rail launcher, a metal liquid film is created at the armature/rail (A/R) contact interface. It has a significant impact on electromagnetic launch performance. In this paper, an electromagnetic-elastic mechanics-hydrodynamics multi physics coupling model is established in consideration of the metal liquid film's own acceleration, magnetic pressure and dynamic changes in film thickness. Based on this model, the lubricating characteristics of magnetic pressure and fluid pressure distribution, film thickness distribution and velocity distribution of the metal liquid film were studied. When the velocity of the metal liquid film is very fast, and the magnetic pressure is reduced, it may fail to maintain stability and rupture, which may be an important reason for the transition. Finally, this paper analyzes the lubrication effect of the metal liquid film, and points out that when we want strictly to control the muzzle velocity, the lubrication effect of the metal liquid film must be considered.

Keywords: film thickness; fluid pressure; lubrication effect; magnetic pressure; metal liquid film; transition.