If this distance cannot be kept, the train will fail to levitate and come grinding to a halt. At high speeds, it becomes difficult to maintain the correct distance between train and guideway. The drawbacks are that the system is inherently unstable. The benefits of this method are that it is simpler to implement than Electrodynamic Suspension (discussed below), and that it maintains levitation at zero speed. Electromagnetic Suspension (EMS): EMS (Figure 5) uses the attractive force of electromagnets placed on the guideway and on the train to achieve levitation.There are two important types of levitation technology: Levitation is the ability for the train to stay suspended above the track. Levitation, propulsion, and guidance in maglev. There are three essential parts to achieving maglev functionality: levitation, propulsion and guidance (as seen below). As shown in Figure 3, they have guideways, and they float down these guideways without ever touching them.Ĭomparison of Wheel-Rail versus Guideways. Maglev trains do not have wheels or rails. Collage sources: © Alex Needham / Public Domain and Metropedia How Does it Work? Shanghai Maglev leaving the Pudong International Airport, with the Shanghai Transit Map rail map showing the route to Longyang Road. The country plans to continue development of its maglev infrastructure. Thus China has quickly become a large player in the worldwide maglev market. It carries passengers a distance of 19 miles (30km) in 8 minutes, reaching a top speed of over 250 mph (431 kph) (Coates, 2004). The Shanghai Maglev (Figure 2), which resulted from this venture, is now the only high-speed maglev train in commercial use. Not all was lost, though, as the Chinese took notice and commissioned the Germans to build a TransRapid train in Shanghai. However, in 2000, the government shut down the project (Luu, 2005). In Germany, a commercial TransRapid line connecting Berlin and Hamburg was proposed in 1992. No commercial lines have been established in the country, but they are still carrying out research. They tested a new series, called the MLX, which broke 350 mph (563 kph) in 2003 (Yadav, 2013). Japan continued development of its maglev technology into the 90s and beyond. Transrapid on testing center in Germany near Bremen. Their trains were able to exceed 300 mph (483 kph) (Luu, 2005). Japan also tested two series of their own designs, called the ML-500 and later the MLU. The trains achieved speeds of over 250 mph (402 kph) on the test track (Luu, 2005). Germany built and tested a string of prototype maglev systems and called their design the TransRapid (Figure 1). During the 70s and 80s, both countries made great progress in developing these trains. At this time, Germany and Japan began researching the potential of maglev. It wasn’t until the 1960s that the idea really began to manifest. In 1934, a German man by the name of Hermann Kemper was given a patent for the first concept of a magnetic, levitating train (Yadav, 2013). A few scientists, namely Robert Goddard and Emile Bachelet, even dared to propose a vehicle that would float using magnets (Yadav, 2013). Much work went into laying the groundwork for these trains, including the development of electric motors and research in magnetism. The fundamental ideas behind maglev technology can be traced back to the early 20th century. As a result, maglev may be commonplace sooner than you’d think. Although such trains are few and far between as of now, they are a hotbed of research in the electrical engineering community. They have the potential for being faster, safer, and more energy efficient than conventional transportation systems. These futuristic locomotives offer many new and exciting possibilities for travel. They are known as maglev trains (derived from the term magnetic levitation). This may sound like science fiction, but instances of this technology already exist in a number of places in the world. Instead of rolling along the track, it quietly floats above and glides smoothly from origin to destination without ever touching a rail. It also discusses the importance of electrical engineering in developing maglev, and how electrical engineers can make this technology the next transportation revolution. This article reviews the history of these trains, how they work, as well as their benefits and drawbacks. It may be that one day soon, maglev technology will be commonplace throughout the world. They are faster, more efficient, and more environmentally friendly than modern wheeled trains. Maglev trains use magnetism to levitate above the tracks on which they travel.
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