Experimental Performance Investigation of a Novel Magnetic Levitation System

This paper deals with the design, construction and especially the experimental test of a new magnetic levitation (maglev) train driven by an air-cored tubular linear induction motor. Proposed new design topology uses only one force-generating system (motor) to produce the three forces required in a maglev system: propulsion, levitation and guidance, whereas classical maglev trains use a separate motor or permanent magnet to produce each of these forces. Moreover, the system eliminates the need for control of the levitation and guidance forces. The paper presents a condensed design guideline, simply explains the implementation process of a laboratory-scale prototype, shows in detail the experimental test results including the low-damping problem, and then addresses the advantages of the proposed system over existing maglev systems.