Aerodynamic analysis of pressure wave of high-speed maglev vehicle crossing: Modeling and calculation

Abstract

When two maglev trains travel in opposite directions on two adjacent tracks, train crossing is inevitable. Especially when both trains run at full speed, the pressure wave formed by each other will have a significant impact on the structure of the vehicle. Therefore, it is important to understand the pressure distribution on the body surface during the crossing to mitigate impact of the pressure wave. In this work, numerical simulation techniques are employed to reveal the nature of pressure wave during train crossing. Firstly, the aerodynamic load calculation model and the pressure wave calculation model are established, based on the turbulence model and flow field control equation. Secondly, the governing equations are discretized together with determined corresponding boundary conditions, which leads to an effective numerical analysis method. Finally, the corresponding aerodynamic analysis is carried out for the high-speed maglev test vehicle running at speed 500 km/h on the open-air line. The simulation results reveal that the spot which sustains the most pressure fluctuation is at the widest part of the vehicle during the train crossing. This forms valuable insights on the aerodynamic nature of high-speed maglev train and provides necessary inputs to the structural design of the vehicle.