BIOGRAPHY

Mr. Werst joined UT-CEM in 1983.  A principle investigator and program manager, he has extensive experience interfacing with industrial partners, government agencies, and other universities on the implementation and management of advanced R&D programs.  In addition, he has extensive experience in the design, fabrication, and testing of high energy density rotating machines and pulsed power applications.  Mr. Werst’s design and analysis background includes: mechanical and thermal finite element analyses, electromechanical and thermal management design optimizations, fatigue life predictions and materials engineering.

As program manager of EMALS energy storage system development and technology transfer to industry, Mr. Werst is responsible for the overall program planning, personnel direction, and management.  In addition, he recently led a team of engineers, in a 3 month rapid prototyping effort, to design, build, and successfully demonstrate a radial field, superconducting motor. 

Mr. Werst was deputy manager of a $20 million research and development Army EMG program, responsible for overall program planning, personnel direction, and management.  As senior mechanical engineer for the EMALS Energy Storage System, he was responsible for the design, review, and manufacturing of critical components for the prototype power supply for the EMALS program.  He was the project engineer for the NASA-Attitude Control and Energy Storage Experiment, where he co-developed the composite rotor manufacturing plans and non-destructive inspection processes.  As senior mechanical engineer for the Combat Hybrid Power Supply program, he was responsible for engineering, design, and fabrication of a full-scale test rotor for characterizing high-speed, rotating, permanent magnet structures.

Mr. Werst was the rotor project engineer for the Army Focused Technology Program.  The FTP rotor holds the record as the most energy dense generator built.  This rotor also represented the first successful demonstration of the multiple-banding press-fit rotor assembly technique that is now the standard for composite generators.  As project engineer for the Cannon Caliber Electromagnetic Gun Program, he led the team that designed, developed, and fabricated an ultra stiff, lightweight, multi-shot EM launcher and also led the fabrication and integration team.  He was project engineer for the Iron Core Compulsator program, where he designed and supervised design for the development of field and armature winding fabrication methods.  Efforts led to the successful demonstration of rapid fire electromagnetic launch using a 1 MJ/pulse compulsator.

RECENT PROGRAMS

• Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System: Design, manufacture, and testing of prototype energy storage generator and support technology transfer to industrial partners
• Feasibility of an Air Core Pulse Generator for Navy Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System: Pulse generator design with aggressive power and energy densities
• Eddy Current Brake—Novel deceleration device that uses graded conductivity and wavenumber to maximize force
• Railgun Innovative Navy Prototype Launcher Concept Study: EM launcher six month conceptual design study
• Electromagnetic Missile Launcher Topologies: Design study of linear induction motors EM missile topologies
• Army Concept Generation Study: Conduct a concept study that provides conceptual designs of a LOS launcher design and a LOS/BLOS/NLOS launcher design
• Superconducting Trapped Field Magnet Motor Demonstration: Design, build and demonstrate usefulness of superconducting trapped field magnets in competitive permanent magnet based machines

RESEARCH AREAS/AREAS OF INTEREST

High energy and power dense rotating machines and their applications

EDUCATION

• B.S. Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, 1984

PUBLICATIONS

• C.S. Hearn, J.J. Hahne, H.P. Liu, M.D. Werst, “Thermoplastic applications for pulsed power alternators,” 13th Electromagnetic Launch Technology Symposium, Potsdam (Berlin), Germany, May 22-25, 2006, IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 43, no. 1, January 2007, pp. 238-241 (PR 417).

• H.P. Liu, M.D. Werst, J.J. Hahne, and D. Bogard, “Investigation of windage splits in an enclosed test fixture having a high speed composite rotor in low air pressure environments,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 41, no. 1, January 2005, pp. 316-321 (PR 349).

• M.D. Werst, J.R. Kitzmiller, and C.S. Hearn, “Ultra-stiff, low mass EM gun design,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 41, no. 1, January 2005, pp. 262-265 (PR 354).

• H.P. Liu, C.S. Hearn, M.D. Werst, J.J. Hahne, and D. Bogard, “Splits of windage losses in integrated transient rotor and stator thermal analysis of a high speed compulsator during multiple discharges,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 41, no. 1, January 2005, pp. 311-315 (PR 358).

• H.P. Liu, M.D. Werst, J.J. Hahne, and D. Bogard, “Prediction of windage losses of an enclosed high speed composite rotor in low air pressure environments,” ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., July 21-23, 2003, paper #HT 2003-47118 (PR 337).

• J.J. Hahne, M.D. Werst, C.E. Penney, H.P. Liu, J. O’Rarden, D. Bogard, “Measurement of windage losses and temperature distribution for a high speed composite rotor in a stator assembly at low air pressures,” ASME Summer Heat Transfer Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.A., July 21-23, 2003, paper #HT 2003-47117 (PR 338).

• M.D. Werst, J.J. Hahne, H.P. Liu, and C.E. Penney, “Design and testing of a high-speed spin test for evaluation pulse alternator windage loss effects,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 39, no. 1, January 2003, pp. 389-393 (PR 310).

• M.D. Werst, R.C. Zowarka, K. Jamison, and W. Hum, “Fieldable Electromagnetic Gun Design,” poster presentation only to the 11th EML Technology Symposium, Saint-Louis, France, May 14-17, 2002 (PR 311).

• J.R. Kitzmiller, et al., “Predicted vs. actual performance of a model scale compulsator system,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 37, no. 1, January 2001, pp. 362-366 (PR 276).

• J.H. Beno, R.C. Thompson, M.D. Werst, S.M. Manifold, and J. Zierer, “End-of-life design for composite rotors [flywheel systems], IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 37, no. 1, January 2001, pp. 284-289 (PR 282).

• M.D. Werst, C.E. Penney, T.J. Hotz, and J.R. Kitzmiller, “Continued testing of the cannon caliber electromagnetic gun system (CCEMG),” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 35, no. 1, January 1999, pp. 388-393 (PR 244).

• T.J. Hotz, C.E. Penney, J.R. Kitzmiller, and M.D. Werst, “Single shot switch performance on the cannon caliber electromagnetic gun program,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 35, no. 1, January 1999, pp. 346-351 (PR 246).

• K.G. Cook, B.T. Murphy, S.M. Manifold, T. Park, M.D. Werst, J.R. Kitzmiller, W.A. Walls, A. Alexander, K. Twigg, “Subscale rotor spin testing for compulsator component development,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 35, no. 1, January 1999, pp. 277-282 (PR 252).

• A.E. Zielinski and M.D. Werst, “Cannon-caliber electromagnetic launcher,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 33, no. 1, Part 1, January 1997, pp. 630-635 (PR 393).

• J.R. Kitzmiller, S.B. Pratap, M.D. Werst, C.E. Penney, T.J. Hotz, B.T. Murphy, “Laboratory testing of the pulse power system for the cannon caliber electromagnetic gun systems (CCEMG),” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 33, no. 1, January 1997, pp. 443-448 (PR 216).

• M.D. Werst, T.J. Hotz, J.R. Kitzmiller, C.E. Penney, and R.M. Tellander, “Testing of the cannon caliber rapid fire railgun,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 33, no. 1, January 1997, pp. 613-618 (PR 215).

• A.E. Zielinski, M.D. Werst, and J.R. Kitzmiller, “Rapid fire railgun for the cannon caliber electromagnetic gun system,” 8th Electromagnetic Launch Symposium, Baltimore, Maryland, U.S.A., April 22-24, 1996 (PR 210).

• M.D. Werst, et al., “Design and testing of a rapid fire, lightweight, ultra stiff railgun for a cannon caliber electromagnetic launcher system,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 31, no. 1, January 1995, pp. 365-370 (PR 189).

• J.H. Price, et al., Discarding armature and barrel optimization for a cannon caliber electromagnetic launcher system,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 31, no. 1, January 1995, pp. 25-30 (PR 196).

• M.D. Werst, S.K. Ingram, D.J. Wehrlen, and W.F. Weldon, “High magnetic field generation using single turn coils,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol.30, no. 4, July 1994, pp. 2550-2553 (PR 183).

• M.J. Johnson, W.F. Weldon, D.J. Wehrlen, and M.D. Werst, “Diagnostic system for a 20 Tesla, toroidal, single turn magnet prototype for fusion ignition,” Fusion Technology, vol. 19, no. 3, May 1991 (PR 135).

• K.T. Hsieh, W.F. Weldon, M.D. Werst, E. Montalvo, and R. Carrera, “Electromechanical and thermomechanical stress analysis of the toroidal field magnet system in single turn ignition tokamaks,” Fusion Technology, vol. 19, no. 3, May 1991 (PR 136).

• D.E. Perkins, S.B. Pratap, M.L. Spann, R.F. Thelen, and M.D. Werst, “The CEM-UT rapid-fire compulsator railgun system - recent performance and development milestones,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 27, no. 1, January 1991, pp. 74-79 (PR 110).

• M.D. Werst, et al., “Magnet technology demonstration for an ignition, singe-turn tokamak,” 9th Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy, Oak Brook, Illinois, U.S.A., October 7-11, 1990 (PR 137).

• R.L. Sledge, et al., “High-current busbars for a prototype homopolar-toroidal magnet system for fusion ignition,” 9th Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy, Oak Brook, Illinois, U.S.A., October 7-11, 1990 (PR 139).

• M.D. Werst, D.E. Perkins, S.B. Pratap, M.L. Spann, and R.F. Thelen, “Testing of a rapid fire compensated pulsed alternator system,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 25, no. 1, January 1989, pp. 599-604 (PR 71).

• M.L. Spann, S.B. Pratap, M.D. Werst, W.A. Walls, and C.W. Fulcher, “Compulsator research at The University of Texas at Austin -- an overview,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 25, no. 1, January 1989, pp. 529-537 (PR 74).

• R. Carrera, “Ignition experiment in a sing-turn-coil tokamak,” 8th Topical Experiment Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A., October 9-13, 1988 (PR 88).

• M.D. Driga, K.T. Hsieh, W.F. Weldon, and M.D. Werst, “Electromechanical analysis of the technology demonstrator for the IGNITEX fusion device,” 8th Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy, Salt Lake City, Utah, U.S.A., October 9-13, 1988 (PR 92).

• S.B. Pratap, M.L. Spann, W.G. Brinkman, M.D. Werst, and M.R. Vaughn, “A compulsator-driven rapid fire railgun system,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 22, no. 6, November 1986, pp. 1753-1756 (PR 28).

• M.D. Werst, B.G. Brinkman, and M.L. Spann, “Fabrication of a compensated pulsed alternator for a rapid fire railgun system,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. Mag-22, no. 6, November 1986, pp. 1812-1816 (PR 43).

• M.D. Werst, et al., “Rapid fire railgun for the cannon caliber electromagnetic gun system,” Digest of Technical Papers, 10th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A., July 10-13, 1995, vol. 1, pp. 174-179 (PN 228).

• R.C. Zowarka, M.D. Werst, and T.J. Hotz, “The plasma pressure in transitioned metal armatures and its structural implications on railguns,” 23rd AIAA Plasmadynamics and Lasers Conference, Orlando Florida, U.S.A., July 6-9, 1993 (PN 212).

• J.H. Price, K.G. Cook, H.P. Liu, M.D. Werst, and H.D. Yun, “Discarding armature and barrel optimization for a cannon caliber electromagnetic launcher system,” 1993 Gun and Ammunition Technical Symposium, Monterey, California, U.S.A., April 21-23, 1993 (PN 208).

• R. Carrera, et al., “Preliminary estimate of the cost breakdown for the fusion ignition experiment (IGNITEX),” Proceedings, 13th IEEE Symposium on Fusion Engineering, October 2-6, 1989, vol. 1, pp. 1214-1217 (PN 304).

• M.D. Werst, M.D. Driga, K.T. Hsieh, and W.F. Weldon, “High field, single turn toroidal magnet technology demonstrator for IGNITEX,” 1989 IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Buffalo, New York, U.S.A., May 22, 1989 (PN 265).

• M.D. Werst, R.L. Sledge, D.J. Wehrlen, and W.F. Weldon, “Generation of high toroidal magnet fields using single-turn magnet technology,” 6th International Conference on Megagauss Magnetic Field Generation and Related Topics, Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A., November 8-11, 1992 (PN 206).

• R.L. Sledge, K.T. Hsieh, W.F. Weldon, and M.D. Werst, “High current transmission and switching system for a prototype, 20 Tesla, toroidal magnet,” Proceedings,14th IEEE/PSS Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, California, U.S.A., September 30-October 3, 1991, vol. 1, pp. 501-504 (PN 195).

• M.D. Werst, K.T. Hsieh, R.L. Sledge, W.F. Weldon, and H.H. Woodson, “Demonstration of a prototype, high field, single turn, toroidal-magnet system,” Proceedings, 14th IEEE/PSS Symposium on Fusion Engineering, San Diego, California, U.S.A., September 30-October 3, 1991, vol. 1, pp. 474-477 (PN 194).

• D.E. Perkins, S.B. Pratap, M.L. Spann, R.F. Thelen, and M.D. Werst, “The CEM-UT rapid-fire compulsator test results and performance evaluation,” IEEE Transactions on Magnetics, vol. 27, no. 1, January 1991, pp. 74-79 (PN 150).

• M.J. Johnson, W.F. Weldon, and M.D. Werst, “Diagnostic system for a 20 Tesla single turn coil magnet prototype,” 17th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Oakland, California, U.S.A., May 21-23, 1990 (PN 172).

• M.D. Werst, W.A. Walls, and W.F. Weldon, “Fabrication and assembly of a single turn coil tokamak,” 17th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Oakland, California, U.S.A., May 21-23, 1990 (PN 171).

• M.D. Werst, G.W. Brunson, K.T. Hsieh, R.L. Sledge, and W.F. Weldon, “Operation of a 20 Tesla on-axis tokamak toroidal field magnet,” 17th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Oakland, California, U.S.A., May 21-23, 1990 (PN 170).

• K.T. Hsieh, et al., “Electromechanical analysis of the toroidal field magnets in the small and large versions of IGNITEX,” 17th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Oakland, California, U.S.A., May 21-23, 1990 (PN 168).

• R.S. Sledge, G.W. Brunson, W.A. Walls, M.D. Werst, and W.F. Weldon, “Energy transfer from a homopolar generator to a single turn coil toroidal field magnet,” 17th IEEE International Conference on Plasma Science, Oakland, California, U.S.A., May 21-23, 1990 (PN 166).

• K.T. Hsieh, M.D. Driga, W.F. Weldon, and M.D. Werst, “Electromechanical analysis of a prototype 20 Tesla, single turn toroidal field coil for Ignitex,” Proceedings, 13th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.A., October 2-6, 1989, vol. 2, pp. 1139-1141 (PN 159).

• M.D. Werst, G.W. Brunson, K.T. Hsieh, R.L. Sledge, and W.F. Weldon, “Design of a prototype 20 Tesla, single turn, toroidal field coil for the fusion ignition experiment (iGNITEX),” Proceedings, 13th Symposium on Fusion Engineering, October 2-6, 1989, Knoxville, Tennessee, U.S.A., vol. 2, pp. 1214-1217 (PN 158).

• M.D. Werst, et al., “Homopolar generator powered high field magnet experiment for the Ignitex fusion device,” Proceedings, 7th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, Monterey, California, U.S.A., June 11-14, 1989, pp. 219-223 (PN 155).

PATENTS

Filed as Non-provisional Patents

• Method for clamping laminations in a high speed electric machine, UT Tech ID OTC-2923-WER, submitted October 2004.
• Fabrication of Heat-Treated Laminations for High-Speed Rotors in Electrical Machines, UT Tech ID OTC-2924-LEW, submitted October 2004.
• High Performance Rotating Rectifier for AC Generator Exciters, UT Tech ID OTC-2929-KIT, submitted October 2004.

Filed as Records of Invention

• High Performance Fieldable Electromagnetic Gun (Railgun) UT Tech ID OTC-2809-WER, submitted October 2003.