Electromagnetic launcher with cryogenic cooled superconducting rails

摘要

A railgun with superconducting rails. The device features rails made from ceramic materials capable of becoming superconducting at relatively high temperatures. Some embodiments utilize rails made entirely from superconducting ceramics while other embodiments utilize rails with metallic cores covered by layers of superconducting ceramics. Cooling of the superconducting ceramic to a temperature below its critical temperature is accomplished by liquid nitrogen cryorefrigerator or a compressed gas cryorefrigerator.