Driving without wheels,

Flying without wings

SUBMITTED BY:
JECRC UNIVERSITY Lokesh Choudhary
Neetu Choudhary
INTRODUCTION
BASIC PRINCIPLE OF MAGLEV TRAINS
TECHNOLOGY AND TYPES
MERITS AND DEMERITS
STABILITY
EVACUATED TUBES
POWER AND ENERGY
COMPARISON WITH AIRCRAFT AND CONVENTIONAL
TRAINS
ECONOMICS
EXISTING MAGLEV SYSTEMS
SUMMARY
REFERENCE
 What is meant by MAGLEV?

MAGLEV = MAGNETIC + LEVITATION

Any thing which may levitate(raise or float) by means of a

magnetic power is simply called as magnetic levitation.
LEVITATION :

Meaning :
• A Latin word meaning lightness.
• Process by which an object is suspended by a physical force against gravity, in a
stable position without any solid physical contact.

Principle :
• First a force is required vertically upwards and equal to the gravitational force.
• Second for any small displacement of the levitating object a returning force
should appear to stabilize it.

Major Types :
• Electromagnetic levitation
• Buoyant levitation
• Aerodynamic levitation
Magnetic Levitation :
Definition:
• Magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no
support other than magnetic field.

Principle:
• Magnetic pressure is used to counteract the effects of the gravitational and
any other activities.

Magnetic Field:
• A magnetic field is a field of force produced by a magnetic object or particle,
or by a changing electrical field.
• It is detected by the force it exerts on other magnetic materials and moving
electric charges.

Magnetic pressure:
• Any magnetic field has an associated pressure that is contained by the
boundary conditions on the field.
Maglev is the system of transportation that uses
magnetic levitation to suspend ,guide and propel the
vehicles using magnets.

First described by Robert Goddard, American Rocket

Scientist, 1909 Scientific American.

Later in 1937 & 1941 a series of German patents for

maglev trains propelled by linear motors awarded to
Hermann Kemper .

In the 1960s in Britain Eric Laithwaite developed a

functional maglev train.
Basic principle of Maglev Trains
Maglev trains have to perform the following functions to operate
in high speeds
1.Levitation 2.Propulsion 3.Lateral Guidance
Levitation
•The passing of the superconducting magnets through levitation
coils on the side of the track 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.
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.
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.
Uses monorail track with linear motor

Uses magnets to reach a really high velocity

Floats about 1-10cm above the guideway on a magnetic

field.

Propelled by the guideway

Once the train is pulled into the next section the

magnetism switches so that the train is pulled on again.
There are 2 notable types of maglev technology:-

•Electromagnetic suspension(EMS)

•Electrodynamic suspension(EDS)
Electromagnets attached to the train

Has ferromagnetic stators on the track

and levitate the train.

Has guidance magnets on the sides

A computer changes the amount of

current to keep the train 1 cm from the
track.

Max speed -438km/hr

Has on-board battery power supply.

Super cooled superconducting magnets
under the train. Levitate about 10 cm.

The field in the train due to superconducting

magnets(JR-Maglev) or an array of permanent
magnets(Inductrack).

The force in the track is created by induced

magnetic field in wires or conducting strips in
the track.
Naturally stable. Requires no feedback control.

Requires retractable wheels at low speed , max speed – 522km/hr

TECHNOL MERITS
OGY
EMS •Magnetic fields inside & outside the
vehicle are less than EDS.
•No wheels or secondary propulsion
required
•Can attain very high
speed.(500km/hr).
EDS •Onboard magnets and large
separation enable highest recorded
speeds(581km/hr) and heavy load
capacity.
•Naturally stable and hence no
feedback control required.
DEMERITS
•Constant monitoring correction
of separation between vehicle &
guideway using computer
systems essential.
•Due to inherent instability and
corrections ,vibration issues may
occur.
•Strong magnetic field makes the
train inaccessible to passengers
with pacemakers or storage
media like hard drives and credit
cards.
•Vehicle must be wheeled for
low speed travel.
TECHNOLOGY MERITS DEMERITS

INDUCTRACK •Failsafe suspension-No power •Requires wheels

required to activate magnets. when the vehicle is
SYSTEM •Can generate enough force at stopped
(PERMANENT low speeds to levitate the train. •New technology ,
•The train can slow down on its still under
MAGNET EDS) own in case of power failures. development , no
•The array of permanent commercial version
magnets are cost effective than or full scale system
electromagnets. prototype
EMS system rely on active electronic stabilisation..

All EDS systems are moving systems.

Since these vehicles fly,stabilisation of pitch , roll and

sway is required

In addition to rotation , surge , sway and or heave

can be problematic.
Some systems use the use of vac trains-maglev
train technology used in evacuated tubes , which
removes the air drag.

This increases the speed and efficiency greatly .

It is a proposed design for super high-speed
transportation about 4000-5000 mph.

But the passengers may suffer from the risk of

cabin depressurization in the event of a train
malfunction.

Hence require tunnel monitoring system for

repressurization
Energy is used to make the Maglev train levitate and to
stabilise the movement.

Main part of the energy used to overcome the air drag.

For very short distances the energy for accelerating is

considerable.

But the power used to overcome the air drag increases with
square of velocity and hence dominates at high speed.
FEATURE MAGLEV TRAIN CONVENTIONAL
TRAIN

Speed Allow higher top Speed is limited by

speeds since they the use of wheels
don’t rely on for propulsion.
wheels for
propulsion.
Maintenance Require insignificant Rail is subjected to wear &
guideway maintenance. tear due to friction
Their electronic vehicle ,increases exponentially
maintenance is minimal with speed.
Hence more reliable This increases running cost.
All weather Unaffected by snow , May encounter problems
operation severe cold , rain or due to degradation of
high winds. guideway caused by
Can accelerate & weather conditions.
decelate regardless of
slickness of guideway
Efficiency No rolling resistance Efficiency is affected by
due to lack of contact rolling resistance due to the
between track & contact with the track.
vehicle.
This improves power
efficiency.
Many maglev have lift-to-drag ratio that exceed that of
aircraft.

But jet transport aircraft take advantage of low air density

at high altitudes to reduce drag during cruise.

Airlines cannot come close to the reliability or

performance of maglev trains in all weather conditions.

Has significant safety margin as they are designed not to

crash into other.
The initial investment is similar to other high speed
rail roads. (Maglift is $20-$40 million per mile and I-279
in Pittsburg cost $37 million per mile 17 years ago.)
Operating expenses are half of that of other railroads.
A train is composed of sections that each contain 100
seats, and a train can have between 2 and 10 sections.
The linear generators produce electricity for the cabin
of the train.
TESTING TRACKS

120 m test track of General Atomics at San Diego , USA.

Tranrapid , a German maglev company has test track at Emsland ,

Germany of length 31.5km.

JR-Maglev , Japan has a test track that can reach a speed of

581km/hr.
IMPORTANT OPERATIONAL SYSTEMS

Linimo , Japan – commercially automated urban maglev

system commenced on March 2005.

Shangai maglev train , China – EMS high speed system

started operation on April 2004.

HML 03 – The first EMS maglev opened to public at

Daejeon South Korea in 1993.
UNDER CONSTRUCTION

AMT Test Track – Powder Springs, Georgia

Applied levitation test track – California.

Beiging S1 line.

PROPOSED PLANS

Penang-Kuala Lampur-Singapore line -Malaysia

Melbourne Maglev Proposal

Mumbai – Delhi

Kochi metro
They consume less energy.

Require no engine.

Move faster than normal trains because they are not affected by
ground friction; their rights-of-way, meanwhile, cost about the
same to build.

 Incompatible with existing rail lines, unlike traditional high-

speed rail.

Initial cost is very high.

Wikipedia –”Maglev Trains”

 Science reporter magazine October 2014.

Heller, Arnie (June 1998). "A New Approach for Magnetically Levitating
Trains—and Rockets". Science & Technology Review.

Hood, Christopher P. (2006). Shinkansen – From Bullet Train to Symbol of

Modern Japan. Routledge.

Science journal.’Maglev train’ April 19, 2010,

http://science.howstuffworks.com/maglev-train.htm
Thank you