The required modeling is based on Maxwell's equations, the Navier-Stokes compressible fluid equations, and the Lorentz Force law. Analytical solution of the resulting system of nonlinear partial differential equations is intractable. Furthermore, numerical solution requires fine-grained resolution in both time and space. Thus, modeling and simulation, which is critical to timely development, is computationally intensive. The pulsed power source converts stored energy into a high power electrical pulse.
Stored energy can be as high as a kiloJoule, with power in the gigawatt range.
A concept of particular interest for several designs is explosively driven magnetic flux compression. In this device, a modest initial magnetic field is compressed by high explosive. Recent software enhancements allow accurate modeling of real explosives in an environment that includes a magnetic field, as well as material strength properties of the solid materials. The arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian capability of the software is ideally suited for modeling the interaction between the explosive and the armature, which moves with respect to the stator. Two-dimensional simulations of the MCG compare well with experiment.