Magnetic Levitation and Its Applications to High Speed Or Maglev Trains

Magnetic Levitation trains are super fast trains. In this Article, we will try to explain the Levitation phenomenon in applications to High Speed Trains.

How does a Magnetic Levitation Train work? Instead of running on electricity or diesel, it runs on powerful magnets. Magnets move these trains at high speed. The magnet creates a powerful magnetic field and this field moves the train forward. Instead of riding on the rails, the train is levitated i.e., it rides on a cushion of air. Britain made the first Magnetic Levitation train. Shanghai, China, has a big Magnetic Levitation train system.

In literary English, Levitation means the process of rising or being raised in the air. Science defines Levitation as "the equilibrium of a body without solid or liquid contact with earth"; Levitation can be achieved using electric or magnetic forces.

The discovery of High Temperature Superconductors are one of the most important and fascinating event in Science and Engineering. This ignited public imagination about Levitated Motion. The Japanese demonstrated a Magnetic Levitation Train at a phenomenal speed of 500km/Hr., how this was possible?

The fascinating qualities of superconducting levitation is to achieve relative velocity of 100-200m/sec. among moving bodies with no contact, no wear, no need for fluid or gas intervention and no need for active controls.

The salient features of superconducting materials that are relevant to Levitation are:-

1. Zero Resistance to steady current flow.
2. Exclusions of magnetic flux lines at low fields
3. Flux trapping or spinning at higher magnetic fields.

Zero resistance is crucial in creating large magnetic fields in multiple turn coil magnets and is essential to the induction of super currents in passive bulk levitation magnetic bearings.

Complete or partial flux exclusion is necessary for repulsive levitation bearings.

Flux pinning or trapping is important for producing materials bulk levitation phenomenon that creates suspension forces.

Magnetic Levitation requires two necessary sub-systems:-

1. A primary system for generating the magnetic field.
2. A system for shaping or trapping the magnetic field.

For electric-magnetic levitation, electric currents in a wire wound coil produces the primary field, while the Ferrite-magnetic coil holder and the ferrite-magnetic base creates a means of shaping the magnetic filed.

Levitation technology is a vast and complicated subject. I have only tried to create some interest to the readers so that they will try to know further about this wonderful subject. By reading this Article, if anyone is interested to know further, he is welcome to contact this technical writer to get further information.