Magnetic Levitation

Emerging Technologies By Nick Presson

Introduction

Magnetic levitation has been around for years, but with advances in technology it may become a part of everyday life. The main emphasis for magnetic levitation is for transportation. Magnetically levitated ground transportation, or Maglev, is an advanced mode of surface high speed transportation whereby a vehicle gliding above a guideway is suspended, guided, and propelled by magnetic forces. Can you imagine a train that that actually floats in air 4 to 6 inches in the air and travels up to !! mph. This technology can reduce air and highway congestion, air pollution, and petroleum use.
Traditional Systems

The transportation system in the "nited #tates has been much admired around the world. $ur e%tensive highway and air systems have facilitated business and leisure travel and contributed to a high &uality of life for many 'mericans. (n )**!, 4+* million passengers traveled 4+ billion passenger miles on commercial airlines. 'mericans traveled + trillion passenger miles my car, truc,, bus, and public transit, and 6.) billion passenger miles on 'mtra,. 's population have grown and shifted, however, the traditional systems have become stressed. Congestion on highways and at airports, especially since #eptember )), not only wastes time and fuel increases, but also constrains mobility to the e%tent that economic growth and productivity are adversely affected. #ome of the current concerns are the rising costs. -and is costly and becoming more scarce. 'dding more highway lanes and building new airports in or near our larger cities is becoming increasingly difficult. .nvironmental issues are

associated with building and operating air and highway systems /such as air and noise pollution0 have become a ma1or problem in e%pansion. The last one is increased oil dependence. Current transportation technologies are petroleum dependent, accounting for 64 percent of total petroleum use. 2ithout transportation alternatives that reduce dependency, transportation petroleum use is e%pected to remain high. 3ue to this, it is possible that this situation will contribute to the ".#. trade deficit and dependence on oil imports, possibly creating a national security problem. -et4s loo, at how the technology of magnetic levitation, or Maglev, may decrease these current problems.
Basic Principles of Physics

Magnetism is a phenomenon that occurs when a moving charge e%erts a force on other moving charges. The magnetic force caused by this moving charge sets up a field which in turn e%erts a moving force on other moving charges. The magnetic field is found to be perpendicular to the velocity of the current.

Maglev History Timeline

)*!! 5 6obert 7oddard and .mile 8achelet conceived the concept of frictionless trains.

)* ! 5 7erman scientist 9ermann :emper studied the use of magnetic fields in con1unction with airplanes and trains )*6* 5 'merican scientists ;ames 6. <owell and 7ordan T. 3anby patented the first design for magnetic levitational trains )*=! 5 7ermans and ;apanese start research and development towards their versions of maglev technology

)**! 5 ".#. >ederal 7overnment with >6' begins to support maglev technology and implements the ?ational Maglev (mitative /?M(0. )**) 5 7ermany@s government certifies operation of first maglev train for the public )**A 5 9amburg to 8erlin route will be complete +!!B 5 To,yo5$sa,a route scheduled to be finished
Magnetic levitation Train

Magnetic Levitation Train, also maglev train,is a high5speed ground transportation vehicle levitated above a trac, called a guideway and propelled by magnetic fields. Magnetic levitation train technology can be used for urban travel at relatively low speeds /less than )!! ,mCh, or less than 6+ mph0D a short5 distance maglev shuttle operated for )) years from )*A4 to )**B between the 8irmingham, .ngland, airport and the city train station. 9owever, the greatest worldwide interest is in high5speed maglev systems. Train speeds of BB+ ,mCh / 4 mph0 have been demonstrated by a full5siEe maglev vehicle in;apan, while in 7ermany a maglev train has run at 4B! ,mCh /+A! mph0. Types of Levitation Two different approaches to magnetic levitation train systems have been developed. The first is called electromagnetic suspension. This is basically levitated by attraction. There are conventional electromagnets

mounted at the ends of a pair of structures under the trainD the structures wrap around and under either side of the guideway. The magnets attract up toward laminated iron rails in the guideway and lift the train. 9owever, this system is inherently unstableD the distance between the electromagnets and the guideway, which is about )! mm / CA in0, must be continuously monitored and ad1usted by computer to prevent the train from hitting the guideway. There are main components to the system that governs the functionality of Maglev TrainsF )0 ' large electrical power source +0 Metal coils lining a guideway or trac, 0 -arge guidance magnets are attached to the underside of the train.

' ,ey difference between the maglev train and a conventional train is the structure of the engine. "nli,e trains in the past that used fossil fuels to pull the engine across steel trac,s, the magnetic field created by the electrified coils in the guideway trac, walls propel the Maglev Train.

9ere is a fundamental description of how Maglev operates. The guideway, which is a magnetiEed coil running along the trac,, repels the large magnets on the train@s undercarriage, allowing the train to levitate above the guideway between . * and .* inches /) to )! cm0. #ubse&uently, power is supplied to the coils within the guideway walls to create a uni&ue system of magnetic fields that pull and push the train along the guideway. To change the polarity of the magnetiEed coils, the electric current supplied to the coils in the guideway walls is constantly alternated. This change in polarity causes the magnetic field in front of the train to pull the vehicle forward, while the magnetic field behind the train adds more forward thrust. Currently, two prototypes of the Maglev Train are being testedF one using electromagnetic suspension /.M#0 and the other using electrodynamic suspension /.3#0. 2hile both incorporate the same fundamentals into their design, there is one distinct difference in the two models.

Electromagnetic Suspension

(n 7ermany, engineers are building an electromagnetic suspension /.M#0 system in which electromagnets are attached to the train4s undercarriage and are directed up

towards the guideway, which levitates the train called Transrapid. (n this system, the bottom of the train wraps around a steel guideway. .lectromagnets that are attached to the train@s undercarriage are directed up toward the guideway, which levitates the train about one5 third of an inch /) cm0 ,eeping the train levitated even when it@s not moving. $ther guidance magnets embedded in the train body ,eep it stable during travel. 7ermany has demonstrated that the Transrapid maglev train can reach !! mph with people on board.

9ere is a picture of how the .M# train operates. The magnets located on the side of the trac, elevate the train while the bottom magnets propel it forward.

Electrodynamic Suspension

;apanese engineers are developing a competing version of maglev trains that use an electrodynamic suspension /.3#0 system, which is based on the repelling force of magnets and not the attracting force. The ,ey difference between ;apanese and 7erman maglev trains is that the ;apanese trains use super5cooled superconducting electromagnets. These electromagnets can conduct electricity even after the power supply has been shut off. (n the .M# system, which uses standard electromagnets, the coils only conduct electricity when a power supply is present. 8y chilling the coils at frigid temperatures, ;apan@s system saves more energy.

The cylindrical unit at the top, is a tan, holding li&uefied helium and nitrogen. The bottom unit is a #C coil alternately generating ? poles and # poles. 't one end of the tan, is the integrally5attached on5board

refrigerator, which serves to re5li&uefy the helium gas once vaporiEed by regular heat absorption and e%ternal disturbances during running. contact, so it may be possible in the future to run speeds in e%cess of B!!mph. 'll Maglev investigated could reach speeds of !!mph.
uide!ay System

The guideway is constructed where the vehicle wraps around a Tshaped guideway of steel or concrete beams constructed and erected to very tight tolerances, as shown in the illustrations above. The attraction by magnets and the propulsion stator pac,s on the underside of the guideway generates liftD attraction between a second set of vehicle magnets and the edgemounted guideway rails provides guidance.
Linear Synchronous Motor The linear #ynchronus motor is the motor that is used by all Maglev operations. (t basically energiEes discrete guideway coils through individual inverters, thereby powering the maglev vehicle. ' computer controls each set of coils and synthesiEes a phase wave form, using pulswidth modulation of a direct supply voltage. (ts advantages include a very high overall efficiency, a significant operating capability, very fle%ible vehicle control, and use of the same coils and inverters for power transfer. "dvantages of Maglev

The main advantage for Maglev is the high capacity in which it can hold. The maglev concepts that have been studied so far can deliver )+,!!! passengers per hour in each direction. 'n e&uivalent air capacity would be 6! 8oeing =6=4s per hour in each direction at ) minute intervals. 2eather conditions is another ma1or advantage of maglev. Conditions that would normally slow travel

would not be an issue because of the noncontact propulsion and bra,ing render ma,e it less susceptible to the restrictions of ice, snow, and rain. There are further advantages that stem from the fact that maglev is not dependent on petroleum. 2hile aircraft must rely e%clusively on petroleum, maglev4s electric power can be supplied from various sources. Maglev4s low energy consumption, low maintenance potential offer very low operating e%penses.

#onclusion

Magnetic levitation of trains offers many advantages for the public. 2ith the research conducted it shows that maglev is a cost5effective, environmentally sound, alternative transportation system with significant public benefits. (f the ".#.wants to ,eep up with the newest means of transportation, we all may be getting aboard a maglev in the years to come.

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