Modification of a Low Cost Vacuum Chamber for Use with an Electromagnetic Railgun

This report details the design and manufacture of modifications to a low cost vacuum chamber intended for railgun operations. These modifications intend to increase the functionality of the chamber and enable the modeling of high velocity impacts in a space. The original vacuum chamber was constructed primarily from polyvinyl chloride to meet the low cost design constraints, which limits pressures obtainable to the low vacuum region (760 Torr to 2 Torr). Modifications include construction of a space-saving storage rack, replacement of external door supports, installation of an internal guide rail, and installation of electrical feedthroughs. Nomenclature A,B,C,D = reference points in support rack geometry F = force g = gravity H = height of steel support rack L = distance between rack wheels M = moment m = mass P = price R = reaction forces µ = coefficient of static friction Subscripts f = friction a = applied I