Magnetic suspension and propulsion systems for high-speed transportation

Abstract

High-speed transportation vehicles (trains) carrying superconducting magnets can be levitated by repulsion from diamagnetic currents induced in a conducting track. Various approximate methods are presented for calculating the lift and drag forces for such magnetic suspensions. Fourier analysis of periodic train magnet fields is used to analyze "image-force" and "hybrid null-flux" systems which involve homogeneous conducting sheet tracks. A lumped circuit analysis is used to discuss the "null-flux" principle and related systems with structured tracks. The stability and efficiency of linear induction and linear synchronous motor propulsion systems are studied using related methods. © 1972 The American Institute of Physics.