Design and dynamic characteristics of a double-layer permanent-magnet buffer under intensive impact load

Abstract

During operation, a launcher is subjected to severe impact load that can be reduced and controlled by buffers inside the launcher. The present paper proposes a double-layer permanent-magnet axial buffer where the eddy current damper consumes recoil energy from impact load and regulates the displacement, velocity and recoil resistance of the recoiling part. Then the recuperator makes the recoiling part return to its starting position smoothly. The eddy currents generated in the buffer serve as a cushion for impact load. Through solving the differential equations of motion of the recoiling part, the recoil displacement, recoil resistance and eddy current damping energy efficiency for different parameters are obtained. Experimental investigations using a prototype are conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed design. Over a broad range, experimental results match well with numerical ones. The maximum error of recoil displacement is 4.8% and the maximum error of recoil resistance is 7.4%. It is shown that the proposed buffer provides a greater damping force, tremendously decrease the peak, and effectively controls an instantaneous strong impact load, compared with existing eddy current buffers employed in launchers in the literature.