Having a weapon that even in computer games can only be found in the laboratory of a mad scientist or near a temporary portal to the future is cool. To observe how people indifferent to technology involuntarily fix their eyes on the device, and avid gamers hastily pick up their jaw from the floor - for this it is worth spending a day assembling do-it-yourself Gauss cannons.

As usual, we decided to start with simplest design – single coil induction gun... Experiments with multi-stage acceleration of the projectile were left to experienced electronics engineers, who were able to build a complex switching system based on powerful thyristors and precisely adjust the moments of sequential switching on of the coils. Instead, we have concentrated on being able to prepare a meal with ingredients that are universally available.

So, to build a Gauss cannon, you first have to go shopping. In the radio store for homemade need to buy several capacitors with tension 350-400 V and total capacity 1000-2000 microfarads, enameled copper wire diameter 0.8 mm, battery compartments for « Crowns"And two 1.5 volt type C batteries, toggle switch and button. In photographic goods, we take five disposable cameras Kodak, in auto parts - the simplest four-pin relay from "Zhiguli", in "products" - a pack straws for cocktails, and in "toys" - a plastic pistol, machine gun, shotgun, shotgun or any other cannon that you want to turn into a weapon of the future.

We shake it on the mustache ...

The main power element of our cannon is inductor... With its manufacture it is worth starting the assembly of the weapon. Take a piece of straw long 30 mm and two big washers(plastic or cardboard), assemble the bobbin from them using the screw and nut. Start winding the enamelled wire around it carefully, turn to turn (when large diameter wires are pretty simple). Be careful not to make sharp bends of the wire, do not damage the insulation. After finishing the first layer, fill it superglue and start winding the next one. Do this with each layer. All you need to reel 12 layers... You can then disassemble the bobbin, remove the washers and put the spool on a long straw that will serve as the barrel. Pluck one end of the straw. The finished coil can be easily checked by connecting it to 9 volt battery: If it holds a paper clip, you are successful. You can insert a straw into the coil and test it as a solenoid: it should actively draw in a piece of paper clip, and with a pulse connection, even throw it out of the barrel onto 20-30 cm.

We dissect values

For the formation of a powerful electrical impulse, it is the best fit (in this opinion, we are in solidarity with the creators of the most powerful laboratory railguns). Capacitors are good not only for their high energy content, but also for the ability to give up all the energy in a very short time, before the projectile reaches the center of the coil. However, the capacitors need to be charged somehow. Fortunately, what we need Charger is in any camera: the capacitor is used there to form a high-voltage pulse for the ignition electrode of the flash. Disposable cameras work best for us, because the capacitor and the "charge" are the only electrical components that they have, which means that getting the charging circuit out of them is as easy as shelling pears.

Disassembling a disposable camera is the stage at which to start developing caution... When opening the case, try do not touch the elements of the electrical circuit: the capacitor can retain its charge for a long time. After gaining access to the condenser, the first thing to do is close its terminals with a screwdriver with a dielectric handle ... Only then can you touch the board without fear of getting an electric shock. Remove the battery clips from the charging circuit, unsolder the capacitor, the jumper to the charging button contacts - we will no longer need it. Prepare in this way at least five charging boards. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks on the board: you can connect to the same circuit elements in different places.

We prioritize

The selection of the capacitance of the capacitors is a matter of compromise between the energy of the shot and the charging time of the gun. We settled on four capacitors 470 microfarads (400V) connected in parallel. Before each shot, we for about, minutes we are waiting for the signal of the LEDs on the charging circuits, informing that the voltage in the capacitors has reached the prescribed 330 in... You can speed up the charging process by connecting several 3-volt battery compartments in parallel to the charging circuits. However, it should be borne in mind that powerful "C" batteries have excess amperage for weak camera circuits. To prevent the transistors on the boards from burning out, there must be 3-5 charging circuits connected in parallel for each 3-volt assembly. On our gun, only one battery compartment is connected to the "charges". All others serve as spare stores.

Defining security zones

We would not advise anyone to hold a button under their finger that discharges a 400-volt capacitor bank. To control the descent, it is better to set relay... Its control circuit is connected to a 9-volt battery through the release button, and the controlled circuit is connected to the circuit between the coil and the capacitors. Correctly assembling the gun will help circuit diagram... When assembling the high-voltage circuit, use a wire with a cross section of at least millimeter, any thin wires are suitable for the charging and control circuits. When experimenting with a circuit, remember: capacitors may have residual charge. Discharge by short-circuiting them before touching them.

Artem

Summing up

The shooting process looks like this:

• turn on the power switch;
• we wait for the bright glow of the LEDs;
• we lower the projectile into the barrel so that it is slightly behind the coil;
• turn off the power so that when firing, the batteries do not take energy onto themselves; take aim and press the shutter button.

The result largely depends on the mass of the projectile.

Be careful, the weapon represents real danger.

Having a weapon that even in computer games can only be found in the laboratory of a mad scientist or near a temporary portal to the future is cool. To observe how people indifferent to technology unwittingly fix their eyes on the device, and avid gamers hastily pick up their jaw from the floor - for this it is worth spending a day assembling a Gauss cannon.

As usual, we decided to start with the simplest design - a single-coil induction gun. Experiments with multi-stage acceleration of the projectile were left to experienced electronics engineers, who were able to build a complex switching system based on powerful thyristors and precisely adjust the moments of sequential switching on of the coils. Instead, we have concentrated on being able to prepare a meal with ingredients that are universally available. So, to build a Gauss cannon, you first have to go shopping. In the radio store, you need to buy several capacitors with a voltage of 350-400 V and a total capacity of 1000-2000 microfarads, an enamelled copper wire with a diameter of 0.8 mm, battery compartments for "Krona" and two 1.5-volt C-type batteries, a toggle switch and a button. In photographic goods we will take five disposable Kodak cameras, in auto parts - a simple four-pin relay from Zhiguli, in “products” - a pack of cocktail straws, and in “toys” - a plastic pistol, submachine gun, shotgun, gun or any other cannon that you want to turn into a weapon of the future.

Shake it on the mustache

The main power element of our gun is the inductor. With its manufacture, it is worth starting the assembly of the weapon. Take a piece of straw with a length of 30 mm and two large washers (plastic or cardboard), assemble the spool from them using the screw and nut. Start winding the enamelled wire around it neatly, turn to turn (with a large wire diameter, this is quite simple). Be careful not to make sharp bends of the wire, do not damage the insulation. After finishing the first layer, fill it with superglue and start winding the next one. Do this with each layer. In total, 12 layers need to be wound. You can then disassemble the bobbin, remove the washers and put the spool on a long straw that will serve as the barrel. Pluck one end of the straw. The finished coil can be easily tested by connecting it to a 9-volt battery: if it can hold a paper clip, then you have succeeded. You can insert a straw into the coil and test it as a solenoid: it should actively draw in a piece of paper clip, and with a pulse connection, even throw it out of the barrel by 20-30 cm.

Having mastered a simple single-coil scheme, you can try your hand at building a multi-stage weapon - after all, this is what a real Gauss cannon should be like. Thyristors (powerful controlled diodes) are ideal as a switching element for low-voltage circuits (hundreds of volts), and controlled spark gaps for high-voltage (thousands of volts). The signal to the control electrodes of the thyristors or arresters will be sent by the projectile itself, flying past the photocells installed in the barrel between the coils. The moment each coil turns off will entirely depend on the capacitor supplying it. Be careful: an excessive increase in the capacitance of the capacitor for a given impedance of the coil can lead to an increase in the pulse width. In turn, this can lead to the fact that after the projectile passes the center of the solenoid, the coil will remain on and slow down the movement of the projectile. An oscilloscope will help you to trace and optimize the moments of turning on and off each coil, as well as measure the speed of the projectile.

We dissect values

For the formation of a powerful electrical impulse, a capacitor bank is the best suited (in this opinion, we are in solidarity with the creators of the most powerful laboratory railguns). Capacitors are good not only for their high energy content, but also for the ability to give up all the energy in a very short time before the projectile reaches the center of the coil. However, the capacitors need to be charged somehow. Fortunately, the charger we need is in any camera: the capacitor is used there to form a high-voltage pulse for the ignition electrode of the flash. Disposable cameras work best for us, because the capacitor and the "charge" are the only electrical components that they have, which means that getting the charging circuit out of them is as easy as shelling pears.

The famous railgun from the Quake series ranks first in our ranking by a wide margin. For many years, the virtuoso mastery of the "rail" has distinguished advanced players: weapons require filigree shooting accuracy, but in the event of a hit, a high-speed projectile literally tears the enemy to pieces.

Disassembling a disposable camera is a step where you should start to be careful. When opening the case, try not to touch the elements of the electrical circuit: the capacitor can retain its charge for a long time. Having gained access to the capacitor, first of all, close its terminals with a screwdriver with a dielectric handle. Only then can you touch the board without fear of getting an electric shock. Remove the battery clips from the charging circuit, unsolder the capacitor, solder the jumper to the charging button contacts - we will no longer need it. Prepare at least five charging boards in this way. Pay attention to the location of the conductive tracks on the board: you can connect to the same circuit elements in different places.

A sniper gun from the exclusion zone wins second prize for realism: an electromagnetic accelerator based on the LR-300 rifle sparkles with numerous coils, hums characteristically when charging capacitors and strikes the enemy to death at colossal distances. The power source is the Flash artifact.

We prioritize

The selection of the capacitance of the capacitors is a matter of compromise between the energy of the shot and the charging time of the gun. We settled on four 470 microfarad (400 V) capacitors connected in parallel. Before each shot, we wait for about a minute for a signal from the LEDs on the charging circuits, informing that the voltage in the capacitors has reached the prescribed 330 V. The charging process can be accelerated by connecting several 3-volt battery compartments to the charging circuits in parallel. However, it should be borne in mind that powerful "C" batteries have excess amperage for weak camera circuits. To prevent the transistors on the boards from burning out, there must be 3-5 charging circuits connected in parallel for each 3-volt assembly. On our gun, only one battery compartment is connected to the "charges". All others serve as spare stores.

Contact locations on the charging circuit of a Kodak disposable camera. Pay attention to the location of the conductive paths: each wire of the circuit can be soldered to the board in several convenient places.

Defining security zones

We would not advise anyone to hold a button under their finger that discharges a 400-volt capacitor bank. It is better to install a relay to control the descent. Its control circuit is connected to a 9-volt battery through the release button, and the controlled circuit is connected to the circuit between the coil and the capacitors. A schematic diagram will help to correctly assemble the gun. When assembling the high-voltage circuit, use a wire with a cross section of at least a millimeter; any thin wires are suitable for the charging and control circuits. When experimenting with a circuit, remember that capacitors can have residual charge. Discharge by short-circuiting them before touching them.

In one of the most popular strategy games, the Global Security Council (GDI) marines are equipped with the most powerful anti-tank railguns. In addition, railguns are installed on GDI tanks as an upgrade. In terms of the degree of danger, such a tank is about the same as the Star Destroyer in Star Wars.

Summing up

The shooting process looks like this: turn on the power switch; we wait for the bright glow of the LEDs; we lower the projectile into the barrel so that it is slightly behind the coil; turn off the power so that when firing, the batteries do not take energy onto themselves; take aim and press the shutter button. The result largely depends on the mass of the projectile. With the help of a short nail with a bitten off cap, we managed to shoot through a can of energy drink, which exploded and flooded half of the editorial office with a fountain. Then the cannon, cleared of sticky soda, launched a nail into the wall from a distance of fifty meters. And the hearts of fans of science fiction and computer games are struck by our weapon without any shells.

Ogame is a multiplayer space strategy game in which the player will feel like the emperor of planetary systems and wage intergalactic wars against the same living opponents. Ogame is translated into 16 languages, including Russian. The Gauss Cannon is one of the most powerful defensive weapons in the game.

Hi. Today we will build a Gauss cannon at home from parts that can easily be found in local stores. Using capacitors, a switch and some other parts, we will create a launcher that can, using electromagnetism, launch small nails up to a distance of about 3 meters. Let's get started!

Step 1: Watch the video

Watch the video first. You will study the project and see the cannon in action. Read on to explore more detailed instructions assembly of the Gauss Gun device.

Step 2: gathering the necessary materials

For the project you will need:

1. 8 large capacitors. I used 3,300uF 40V. The key point here is that the lower the voltage, the less danger, so look for options in the 30-50 Volt region. As for the capacity, the more the better.
2. One breaker for high currents
3. One coil for 20 turns (I twisted mine from 18awg wire)
4. Copper sheet and / or thick copper rein

Step 3: glue the capacitors

Take the capacitors and glue them together so that the positive terminals are closer to the center of the glue. Glue them first in 4 groups of 2. Then glue the two groups together for a total of 2 groups of 4 capacitors. Then put one group on top of another.

Step 4: assembling the capacitor group

The photo shows what the final design should look like.

Now take the positive terminals and connect them together and then solder to the copper strap. A thick copper wire or sheet can serve as a cover.

Step 5: soldering the copper pads

Use directed heat if necessary (a small industrial hair dryer), warm up the copper pads and solder the capacitor terminals to them.

The photo shows my group of capacitors after completing this step.

Step 6: solder the negative terminals of the capacitors

Take another thick conductor, I used an insulated copper lead with a large cross-section, removed from it in the right places isolation.

Bend the wire so that it covers the entire distance of our capacitor group as efficiently as possible.

Solder it in the right places.

Step 7: prepare the projectile

Next, you need to prepare a suitable projectile for the coil. I wound my coil around a bobbin. I used a small straw as a muzzle. Therefore, my projectile must go into a straw. I took a nail and trimmed it to about 3 cm long, leaving the sharp part of it.

Step 8: find the right switch

Then I needed to find a way to dump the charge from the capacitors onto the coil. Most people use rectifiers (SCRs) for these needs. I decided to proceed easier and found a switch that works when high strength current.

The breaker has three current ratings: 14.2A, 15A, and 500A. My calculations showed a maximum force of about 40A at a peak lasting about a millisecond, so it should have worked.

THE NOTE. Do not use my switching method if the capacity of your capacitors is larger. I tried my luck and it worked out, but you don't want the breaker to explode by running 300A through a 1A breaker.

Step 9: winding the coil

We have almost finished assembling the electromagnetic gun. Time to wind the coil.

I tried three different coils and found that about 20 turns of 16 or 18 awg insulated wire worked best. I used an old spool, wound a wire around it and passed a plastic straw inside, sealing one end of the straw with hot glue.

Step 10: Assembling the device according to the scheme

Now that you've prepared all the pieces, put them together. If you have any problems - follow the diagram.

Step 11: fire safety

My congratulations! We made the Grasse cannon with our own hands. Use a charger to charge your capacitors to near their maximum voltage. I charged my setup at 40V to 38V.

Load the projectile into the tube and press the button. The current will go to the coil and it will shoot the nail.

BE CAREFUL! Even considering that this is a low-current project, and that it will not kill you, but still such a current can harm your health. The second photo shows what happens if you accidentally connect plus and minus.

Nov 19, 2014

First, the Science Debate editors congratulate all gunners and missilemen! After all, today November 19 is the Day of Rocket Forces and Artillery. 72 years ago, on November 19, 1942, with a powerful artillery preparation, the Red Army launched a counteroffensive during the Battle of Stalingrad.

That is why today we have prepared for you a publication dedicated to cannons, but not ordinary ones, but Gauss cannons!

A man, even becoming an adult, remains a boy in his soul, only his toys change. Computer games became a real salvation for respectable uncles, who in childhood did not finish playing "war" and now have the opportunity to catch up.

Computer action movies often have futuristic weapons that you will not find in real life- the famous Gauss cannon, which can be thrown by some crazy professor, or it can be accidentally found in a secret chronicle.

Is it possible to acquire a Gauss cannon in real life?

It turns out that it is possible, and it is not as difficult to do as it might seem at first glance. Let's rather find out what a Gauss cannon is in the classical sense. The Gauss Cannon is a weapon that uses the method of electromagnetic acceleration of masses.

The design of this formidable weapon is based on a solenoid - a cylindrical winding of wires, where the length of the wire is many times larger diameter windings. When an electric current is applied, a strong magnetic field will develop in the cavity of the coil (solenoid). It will pull the projectile into the solenoid.

If at the moment when the projectile reaches the center, remove the voltage, then the magnetic field will not prevent the body from moving by inertia, and it will fly out of the coil.

Assembling a Gauss gun at home

In order to create a Gauss gun with our own hands, we first need an inductor. Carefully wind the enameled wire onto the bobbin, without sharp bends, so as not to damage the insulation.

After winding, fill the first layer with superglue, wait until it dries, and proceed to the next layer. In the same way, you need to wind 10-12 layers. We put the finished coil on the future barrel of the weapon. A plug should be put on one of its edges.

In order to get a strong electrical impulse, a capacitor bank is perfect. They are able to release the stored energy for a short time until the bullet reaches the middle of the coil.

You will need a charger to charge the capacitors. There is a suitable device in photographic apparatus, it is used to generate a flash. Of course, we are not talking about an expensive model that we will dissect, but disposable Kodaks will do.

In addition, in them, except for the charging and the capacitor, there are no other electrical elements. When disassembling the camera, be careful not to get an electric shock. Feel free to remove the battery clips from the charging device, unsolder the capacitor.

Thus, you need to prepare approximately 4-5 boards (more can be done if the desire and capabilities allow). The question of choosing a capacitor forces you to make a choice between the power of the shot and the time it will take to charge. A large capacitor requires a longer period of time, lowering the rate of fire, so a compromise will have to be found.

LED elements installed on the charging circuits indicate with a light that the required charge level has been reached. Of course, you can connect additional charging circuits, but do not overdo it so as not to accidentally burn the transistors on the boards. In order to discharge the battery, it is best to install a relay for safety reasons.

The control circuit is connected to the battery through the release button, and the controlled circuit is connected to the circuit between the coil and the capacitors. In order to make a shot, it is necessary to supply power to the system, and, after the light signal, load the weapon. Turn off the power, aim and shoot!

If the process carried you away, and the power received is not enough, then you can start creating a multi-stage Gauss cannon, because it should be just that.

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Subtitles

Operating principle

The parameters of the accelerating coils, the projectile and the capacitors must be coordinated in such a way that, when fired, by the time the projectile approaches the solenoid, the induction magnetic field in the solenoid was maximum, but with further approach of the projectile it fell sharply. It should be noted that different algorithms for the operation of the accelerating coils are possible.

Kinetic energy of the projectile E = m v 2 2 (\ displaystyle E = (mv ^ (2) \ over 2)) m (\ displaystyle m)- the mass of the projectile v (\ displaystyle v)- its speed Energy stored in the capacitor E = C U 2 2 (\ displaystyle E = (CU ^ (2) \ over 2)) U (\ displaystyle U)- capacitor voltage C (\ displaystyle C)- capacitance of the capacitor Discharge time of the capacitors

This is the time during which the capacitor is completely discharged:

T = π L C 2 (\ displaystyle T = (\ pi (\ sqrt (LC)) \ over 2)) L (\ displaystyle L)- inductance C (\ displaystyle C)- capacity Operating time of the inductor

This is the time during which the EMF of the inductor increases to its maximum value (full discharge of the capacitor) and completely drops to 0. It is equal to the upper half-period of the sinusoid.

T = 2 π L C (\ displaystyle T = 2 \ pi (\ sqrt (LC))) L (\ displaystyle L)- inductance C (\ displaystyle C)- capacity

It is worth noting that in the presented form, the last two formulas cannot be used to calculate the Gaussian gun, if only for the reason that as the projectile moves inside the coil, its inductance changes all the time.

Application

It is theoretically possible to use Gauss guns to launch light satellites into orbit, since in stationary use it is possible to have great source energy. The main application is amateur installations, demonstration of the properties of ferromagnets. It is also quite actively used as a children's toy or developing technical creativity. homemade installation(simplicity and relative safety)

Creation

The simplest structures can be assembled from scrap materials even with school knowledge of physics.

There are many websites that detail how to assemble a Gauss cannon. But it is worth remembering that the creation of weapons in some countries can be prosecuted by law. Therefore, before creating a Gaussian cannon, it is worth thinking about how you will use it.

Advantages and disadvantages

The Gauss cannon has advantages as a weapon that other types of small arms do not have. This is the absence of casings and the unlimited choice of the initial speed and energy of the ammunition, the possibility of a silent shot (if the speed of a sufficiently streamlined projectile does not exceed the speed of sound), including without changing the barrel and ammunition, a relatively small recoil (equal to the momentum of the projectile that was flown out, there is no additional impulse from powder gases or moving parts), theoretically, great reliability and, in theory, wear resistance, as well as the ability to work in any conditions, including in outer space.

However, despite the seeming simplicity of the Gauss cannon, its use as a weapon is fraught with serious difficulties, the main one of which: high energy costs.

The first and main difficulty is the low efficiency of the installation. Only 1-7% of the capacitor charge is transferred into the kinetic energy of the projectile. This disadvantage can be partially compensated for by using a multistage projectile acceleration system, but in any case, the efficiency rarely reaches 27%. Basically, in amateur installations, the energy stored in the form of a magnetic field is not used in any way, but is the reason for using powerful switches (IGBT modules are often used) to open the coil (Lenz's rule).

The second difficulty is high energy consumption (due to low efficiency).

The third difficulty (follows from the first two) is the large weight and dimensions of the installation with its low efficiency.

The fourth difficulty is the rather long accumulative recharge time of the capacitors, which makes it necessary to carry and (as a rule, a powerful rechargeable battery) together with the Gauss cannon, as well as their high cost. It is theoretically possible to increase efficiency if superconducting solenoids are used, but this will require a powerful cooling system, which brings additional problems and seriously affects the field of application of the installation. Alternatively, use replaceable battery capacitors.

The fifth difficulty - with an increase in the speed of the projectile, the time of action of the magnetic field, during the time of the projectile's flight of the solenoid, is significantly reduced, which leads to the need not only to turn on each next coil of the multistage system in advance, but also to increase the power of its field in proportion to the reduction of this time. Usually this drawback is immediately ignored, since most home-made systems have either a small number of coils or insufficient bullet speed.

In conditions aquatic environment the use of a gun without a protective casing is also seriously limited - the distance current induction is sufficient for the salt solution to dissociate on the casing with the formation of aggressive (dissolving) media, which requires additional magnetic shielding.

Thus, today the Gauss cannon has no prospects as a weapon, since it is significantly inferior to other types of small arms operating on other principles. Theoretically, prospects, of course, are possible if compact and powerful sources are created electric current and high-temperature superconductors (200-300K). However, an installation similar to a Gauss cannon can be used in outer space, since in conditions of vacuum and zero gravity, many of the disadvantages of such installations are leveled. In particular, the military programs of the USSR and the USA considered the possibility of using installations similar to the Gauss cannon on orbiting satellites to destroy other spacecraft (shells with big amount small striking details), or objects on the earth's surface.