apa-1

^ Preliminary Construction of main assembly.^

^Battery Protection and Gas Gauge Assembly^

^2012^

2014

^2014^

APA-1

The APA-1 is an effort to make a multistage coilgun and experiment with a new charging, power source, switching, and control systems.

STATUS: Slow and Unsteady, but progress has been made.

A Working TO DO List.

    • Preliminary Design...Done (2012)

    • Primary Structure Fabrication and Assembly...Done (2013)

  • Capacitor Mount Assembly...Done (2013)

    • Projectile Magazine...Done (2013)

    • Injector Assembly...Done (2014)

    • Coil Mount Assembly...Done (2014)

    • Lithium Polymer Battery Protection and Balancing Circuitry...Done (2012)

    • Lithium Polymer Battery Charger Circuitry...Done (2013)

    • Lithium Polymer Fuel Gauge Circuitry...Done (2014)

    • Lithium Polymer Battery Assembly...Done (2012)

    • Low Voltage Power Supply Circuitry...Done (1.17.2015) (5V, 16.5V)

    • Infrared Projectile Sensor Arrays (2)...Done (2014)

    • Display Circuitry (10 LED Side Bar Graph and 3 Digit Rear Display)...Done (2014)

    • LED Flashlight and UV Laser Assembly...Done (2014)

    • Micro-controller Timing and Control Program... Done (1.03.2015)

    • Electromagnetic Stabilization Coils and Circuitry... Cancelled (Complexity and Size Restrictive) (2015)

    • Test Coils... Redesign In Progress (2015) ...

  • Discharge and Quench Circuitry...In Progress (Test Board Made) ...

    • Projectile Final Design... Redesign In Progress (2015) ...

  • High Voltage Capacitor Charger Circuitry... Done (2015)

    • System Coil/Projectile/Timing/Quenching Optimization Testing...

    • Other Stuff...

STATS:

    • General:

        • Designation: APA-1

        • Name: Advanced Pulse Accelerator 1

        • Stages: 2 + Injector

        • Design Type: Handgun

        • Loading Type: Auto-loader Solenoid/Magazine

        • Switching Type: IGBT 4 x HGTG27N120BN

        • Clamp Diode: 2 x RHRG75120

        • Topography: Standard Dump and Quench

        • Trigger: Infra-Red Optologic Interrupt Sensors + Timing IGBT Driver

        • Charging: 6 Series Lithium Polymer Cells

            • Pack Nominal Voltage: 22.2V

            • Pack Rated Capacity: 800 mAh

            • Pack Rated Discharge Rate: 15 C ( 12 A )

            • Pack Nominal ESR Measured: ~330 mOhm

        • Charger Type: High Power Flyback Converter >70% Efficiency.

    • Coil Description:

        • Injector Coil Design:

            • Wire Size: 24 Gauge

            • Length: 22.2 mm (0.875 in)

            • Layers: 20

        • Primary Accelerator Design:

            • Wire Size: 20 Gauge

            • Length: 22.2 mm (0.875 in)

            • Layers: 6-12

            • Encased in Slotted Low Carbon Steel A513

        • Secondary Accelerator Design:

          • Wire Size: 20 Gauge

          • Length: 31.75 mm ( +-1 mm) (1.25 in)

          • Layers: 6-12

        • Encased in Slotted Low Carbon Steel A513

    • Capacitors:

        • Injector Coil-

            • Capacitance: 47-94 uF

            • Voltage: 400 VDC ( To 450 V)

        • Primary Accelerator-

            • Capacitance: 1120 uF

            • Voltage: 400 VDC ( To 450 V)

            • ESR: 178 mOhm

        • Secondary Accelerator-

          • Capacitance: 1120 uF

        • Voltage: 400 VDC ( To 450 V)

        • ESR: 178 mOhm

  • Projectile:

      • Projectile Material: Low Carbon Steel 1006 + Nylon Sleeve

      • Diameter: 12.7 mm (1/2 in)

      • Length: 31.75 mm ( +-1 mm) (1.25 in)

        • Armature: 15.9 mm (+-1 mm) (0.625 in)

        • Stabilization Structure: 15.9 mm (+-1 mm) (0.625 in)

      • Mass: 15 g (+-1 g)

  • Theoretical Measured:

    • Exit Velocity: ~40 m/s

    • Load Time: ~2s (Fully Charged Batteries)

    • Theoretical Calculated:

        • Accelerator Stored Energy: 227 J

        • Kinetic Energy: ~11 J

        • Weapon Efficiency: >5.0 % (GOAL)

        • Momentum: ---- kg*m/s

        • Charger Power (New Batteries): > 115 W

    • Details:

      • Battery Protection: DS2726

      • Battery Charging: BQ2954

      • Battery Fuel Gauge: BQ2050H

      • High Voltage Capacitor Charger: LT3751

      • Timing: PIC 12F509

      • IGBT Gate Driver: FAN3122T

      • IR Optical Sensor: QRD1114

      • Primary Display Driver: LM3914 and ICL7107 (MQFP)