Magnetically Levitated Trains

(MagLev)
By Amar Kumar
Usn:1pi07me019
 CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. MAGNETICALLY LEVITATED TRAINS
3. TECHNOLOGY AND WORKING OF MAGLEV
4. ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF
MAGLEV
5. ACCIDENTS AND PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
6. SCOPE OF MAGLEV IN FUTURE
 INTRODUCTION
 Magnetic levitation transport , or maglev , is a form of
transportation that suspends guides and propels vehicles
via electromagnetic force.
 Can reach velocities comparable to turboprop and jet
aircraft (500 to 581 km/h).
 The principal of a Magnet train is that floats on a magnetic
field and is propelled by a linear induction motor.
 The highest recorded speed of a Maglev train is
581 kilometres per hour (361 mph), achieved in Japan in
2003
MLX01 maglev train at Yamanashi test track
 What are MagLev trains?
 MagLev uses Electromagnetic Propulsion.
 Trains are thrust forward by positively and negatively
charged magnets.
 The train floats on a cushion of air eliminating friction.
 Germany and Japan are both developing maglev train
technology, and both are currently testing prototypes of their
trains.
 The German company "Transrapid International" also has a
train in commercial use.
 In Germany, engineers have developed an electromagnetic
suspension (EMS) system, called Transrapid.
 Japanese engineers are developing a competing version of
maglev trains that use an electrodynamic
suspension (EDS) system
  The key difference between Japanese and German maglev
trains is that the Japanese trains use super-cooled,
superconducting electromagnets. 
 This kind of electromagnet can conduct electricity even after
the power supply has been shut off.
 In the EMS system, which uses standard electromagnets,
the coils only conduct electricity when a power supply is
present. 
Transrapid 09 at the Emsland test
facility in Germany
 Technology of MagLev
There are two primary types of maglev technology:
1. Electromagnetic suspension (EMS) uses the attractive
magnetic force of a magnet beneath a rail to lift the train up.
2. Electrodynamics suspension (EDS) uses a repulsive force
between two magnetic fields to push the train away from the
rail.
 Electromagnetic suspension (EMS)
 In current EMS systems, the train levitates above a steel rail
while electromagnets, attached to the train, are oriented
toward the rail from below. The electromagnets use
feedback control to maintain a train at a constant distance
from the track.
 Electrodynamics suspension (EDS)
 Both the rail and the train exert a magnetic field, and the
train is levitated by the repulsive force between these
magnetic fields.
 MagLev “Guideways” or Tracks
 Track repels magnets on undercarriage of train, sending the
train forward.
 Train levitates between 1 and 10 cm above guideway.
 Guideway of MagLev test line
 Beam method
 In the beam method, the sidewall portion will be constituted
solely of concrete beams.
 The entire process from beam manufacturing to installation
of the ground coils take place at the on-site factory
(provisional yard).
 A finished beam is transported to the work site within the
guideway, to be placed on two concrete beds set up in
advance there.
Panel method
 In a factory set up on-site (provisional yard) the concrete
panel is produced and attached with ground coils. The
finished assembly is carried to the work site, where it is
fixed, with 10 bolts, to the concrete sidewall erected in
advance there.
Direct-Attachment Method
 At the work site in the tunnels or on the bridges a concrete
sidewall portion is produced. At the same site the finished
sidewall is directly fitted with the ground coils. With no need
for the factory or transport vehicle, this method is
economically superior to the other two, but its drawback lies
in that it allows only slight adjustments of individual ground
coils to correct the irregularities.
SCM of Yamanashi MagLev test line(cut model)
 The SCM (Superconducting Magnet) is the core element of
superconducting Maglev. Two SCMs are mounted on each
bogie.
 The cylindrical unit at the top is a tank holding liquefied
helium and nitrogen. The bottom unit is an SC coil
alternately generating N poles and S poles. At one end of
the tank is the integrally-attached on-board refrigerator,
which serves to re-liquefy the helium gas once vaporized by
regular heat absorption and external disturbances during
running.
 Working of MagLev
The train uses superconducting electric magnets in the vehicle to
levitate and propel the train. These magnets are cooled by liquid
helium or liquid nitrogen. This means that once electrified these
magnets do not require additional energy.
Propulsion
• An alternating current is ran through electromagnet coils on the guide
walls of the guide way. This creates a magnetic field that attracts and
repels the superconducting magnets on the train and propels the train
forward.
• Braking is accomplished by sending an alternating current in the
reverse direction so that it is slowed by attractive and repulsive forces.
 When the alternating current is reversed, the train brakes.
 Different speeds are achieved by varying the intensity of the
current.
 Only the section of track where the train is traveling is
electrified.
Levitation
• The passing of the superconducting magnets by figure eight
levitation coils on the side of the tract induces a current in the coils
and creates a magnetic field. This pushes the train upward so that
it can levitate 10 cm above the track.

• The train does not levitate until it reaches 50 mph, so it is equipped

with retractable wheels.
 Lateral guidance
When one side of the train nears the side of the guideway, the
super conducting magnet on the train induces a repulsive force from
the levitation coils on the side closer to the train and an attractive
force from the coils on the farther side. This keeps the train in the
center.
JR-Maglev EDS suspension is due to the magnetic fields
induced either side of the vehicle by the passage of the
vehicles superconducting magnets.
 Advantages
1. Maintenance Requirements : maglev trains currently in operation have
demonstrated the need for nearly insignificant guideway maintenance.

2. All-Weather Operations : Maglev trains currently in operation are not

stopped, slowed, or have their schedules affected by snow, ice, severe cold,
rain or high winds.

3. Efficiency : Due to the lack of physical contact between the track and the
vehicle, maglev trains experience no rolling resistance, leaving only air
resistance and electromagnetic drag, potentially improving power Efficiency.

4.Very fast: maglev trains to travel extremely fast, i.e. 500km/h or 300mph.
5.Less energy consumption because no rail-track friction
6.Requires no fossil fuel which can harm the environment.
7.Less noise pollution since the train never hits the track.
However noise due to air disturbance still occurs.
8.Less space: MagLev guideways and trains take up less
space than conventional trains
9.Safe: A accident between two maglev trains is nearly
impossible because the linear induction motors prevent trains
running in opposite directions.
 Disadvantages
 There are several disadvantages Maglev guide paths are
bound to be more costly than conventional steel railways.
 The other main disadvantage is lack with existing
infrastructure.
 Other MagLev Applications
 Disneyland’s California Adventure Coaster
 California Screamin’ roller coaster uses MagLev technology
to propel car from 0-55 mph in less than 5 seconds!
 Other MagLev Applications
 U.S. military is looking into using MagLev
 Possible uses could include:
 Rocket launching
 Aircraft carrier launching pad
 Space craft launching
 Travel Speeds
 The train can travel at about 300mph(482.8 km/h) .
 For trips of distances up to 500 miles its total travel time is equal
to a planes (including check in time and travel to airport.)
 Itcan accelerate to 200 mph in 3 miles, so it is ideal for short
jumps. (ICE needs 20 miles to reach 200 mph.)
 Economics
 The Shanghai maglev demonstration line cost US$1.2 billion
to build.
 Baltimore-Washington Maglev project gives an estimated
2008 capital costs of US$4.361 billion for 39.1 miles
 China aims to limit the cost of future construction extending
the maglev line to approximately $18 million per kilometer
through new guideway modular manufacturing and
construction techniques.
 MagLev in India
 Mumbai – Delhi
A maglev line project was presented to the Indian railway
minister (Lalu Prasad Yadav) by an American company. A line
was proposed to serve between the cities of Mumbai and
Delhi, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said that if
the line project is successful the Indian government would
build lines between other cities and also between Mumbai
centre and Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport.
 Accidents with MagLev Trains:
 August 11, 2006 fire
On August 11, 2006 a fire broke out on the Shanghai
commercial Transrapid, shortly after leaving the terminal in
Longyang.
 September 22, 2006 crash
On September 22, 2006 an elevated Transrapid train collided
with a maintenance vehicle on a test run in Lathen (Lower
Saxony / north-western Germany). Twenty-three people were
killed and ten were injured. These were the first fatalities
resulting from a Maglev train accident.
 MagLev is Safe:
 Maglev trains have a remarkable safety record.
 German-type experimental maglev trains in Japan and
Vancouver Canada had carried 2.67 million paying
passengers at speeds up to 191 miles per hour, with a
reliability factor of 99.96%, and no accidents.
 Scope in future
 Provided maglev can be proved to be commercially viable
(which has not yet been done) it should be a success.
 However if there is no existing rail network (only the case in
the USA) then it makes sense to build a maglev line.
 One thing is certain, there is 31932km of track in the UK,
34449km in France and 40726km Germany, no one is going
to convert all of this into maglev track, conventional trains
are here to stay for a long time.
 Therefore, the future of Maglev holds an undisputed
demand level at the global level
THANK YOU!!