Coilgun

Simplified diagram of a multistage coilgun with three coils, a barrel, and a ferromagnetic projectile

A coilgun is a type of mass driver consisting of one or more coils used as electromagnets in the configuration of a linear motor that accelerate a ferromagnetic or conducting projectile to high velocity.[1] In almost all coilgun configurations, the coils and the gun barrel are arranged on a common axis. A coilgun is not a rifle as the barrel is smoothbore (not rifled).

Coilguns generally consist of one or more coils arranged along a barrel, so the path of the accelerating projectile lies along the central axis of the coils. The coils are switched on and off in a precisely timed sequence, causing the projectile to be accelerated quickly along the barrel via magnetic forces.

Coilguns are distinct from railguns, as the direction of acceleration in a railgun is at right angles to the central axis of the current loop formed by the conducting rails. In addition, railguns usually require the use of sliding contacts to pass a large current through the projectile or sabot, but coilguns do not necessarily require sliding contacts.[2] While some simple coilgun concepts can use ferromagnetic projectiles or even permanent magnet projectiles, most designs for high velocities actually incorporate a coupled coil as part of the projectile.

Coilguns are also distinct from Gauss guns, although many works of science fiction have erroneously confused the two. A coil gun uses electromagnetic acceleration whereas Gauss guns predate the idea of coil guns and instead consists of ferromagnets using a configuration similar to a Newton's Cradle to impart acceleration.[3]

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  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference AutoAU-2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Chemin, Besserve, Caussarieu, Taberlet, Plihon, Arsène, Pauline, Aude, Nicolas, Nicolas (1904). "Magnetic cannon: The physics of the Gauss rifle". American Journal of Physics. 85 (7): 495–502. doi:10.1119/1.4979653. Retrieved 2023-03-09.{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)