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IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS 1

A Study of Non-Symmetric Double-Sided Linear Induction

Motor for Hyperloop All-In-One System (Propulsion,
Levitation, and Guidance)
Woo-Young Ji 1, Geochul Jeong 2, Chan-Bae Park 1, Ik-Hyun Jo 1, and Hyung-Woo Lee 1

1 Department of Railway Vehicle and Operation Systems Engineering, Korea National

University of Transportation, Uiwang 16106, South Korea
2 Department of Electrical Engineering, Hanyang University, Seoul 04763, South Korea

This paper proposes an all-in-one system for hyperloop that conducts propulsion, levitation, and guidance. Currently demand on
high-speed long-distance transportation is increasing, so that hyperloop is getting attention and studied hard globally. Hyperloop
is a new innovative transportation in which a levitated subsonic speed train travels through a vacuum cylindrical tube. Hyperloop
needs functions of propulsion, levitation, and guidance for its service, and many devices are necessary for those functions. In the
tube, a constrained space, many devices make the entire system complicated, and the size of the vehicle and tube are increased.
Therefore, the costs of maintenance, manufacture, and construction are increased and control of each device becomes very difficult.
But a non-symmetric double-sided linear induction motor (NSDLIM), the subject of this paper, is an all-in-one system that could
conduct all functions. In this paper, the concept of NSDLIM was introduced and its possibility was suggested. Requirements of
NSDLIM were investigated considering very high acceleration, velocity, and low air pressure. An NSDLIM model was designed and
analyzed by using the finite-element method. Then, NSDLIM parameters that affect performance were investigated and adjusted to
improve performance. The derived model performance was shown, and its possibility was considered.
Index Terms— All-in-one system, hyperloop, linear induction motor, maglev train, subsonic speed.

I. I NTRODUCTION

H YPERLOOP is a very high-speed maglev train that trav-

els by vacuum cylindrical tube to overcome speed limit
from wheel–rail friction and air resistance. In superconducting
maglev (SCMaglev), which is the fastest magnetic levitation
train in Japan with a 603 km/h maximum speed, linear syn-
chronous motor is applied for propulsion, and superconducting
electromagnet and null flux coil are applied for both levitation
and guidance. At present, there are only systems that perform
a maximum of two functions among propulsion, levitation,
and guidance. With many devices in the tube, the system gets
complex so there are a lot of disadvantages in terms of cost,
operation, and control. In this paper, a non-symmetric double-
sided linear induction motor (NSDLIM) that could conduct
propulsion, levitation, and guidance is suggested as an all-in-
one system for hyperloop. NSDLIM concepts such as structure
and mechanism of three functions are introduced. NSDLIM is
a new system that has not been studied, so requirements are
investigated and a basic model is designed with several appro-
priate assumptions. Then by using the finite-element method
(FEM), characteristics are analyzed and parameters that affect
performance are investigated. Through changing parameters,
an improved model is derived and its possibility is proposed.
II. C ONCEPT OF NSDLIM
NSDLIM has a structure similar to the single-sided linear
induction motor. Fig. 1 shows a simple model of NSDLIM.
A double-sided primary is installed on the bottom of the
tube, and a secondary plate is attached under the bottom
Manuscript received March 16, 2018; revised May 25, 2018; accepted
June 7, 2018. Corresponding author: H.-W. Lee (e-mail: krhwlee@ut.ac.kr).
Color versions of one or more of the figures in this paper are available
online at http://ieeexplore.ieee.org.
Digital Object Identifier 10.1109/TMAG.2018.2848292
0018-9464 © 2018 IEEE. Personal use is permitted, but republication/redistribution requires IEEE permission.
See http://www.ieee.org/publications_standards/publications/rights/index.html for more information.
Fig. 1. Structure of the NSDLIM simple model.
of the vehicle. Simple structure and fulfillment of all func-
tions make the entire system simple and reduce devices so
there are many advantages for cost, operation, and control.
NSDLIM could perform propulsion, levitation, and guidance
once. Fig. 2 shows the traveling magnetic field from the
primary that effect the secondary reaction plate and eddy
current induced in the reaction plate by the change of magnetic
field. The magnetic flux direction of the red traveling field is
+Y and the blue one is −Y . By Lorentz force law, the z-axis
component of eddy current in the secondary plate generates the
x-direction force and thrust force, and the x-axis component of
eddy current generates the z-direction vertical force. In single-
sided LIM, commonly, primary and secondary are almost
arranged at the center each other so sum of vertical forces
generated by the x-axis component of eddy current is balanced
to zero. The eddy current-induced in the secondary plate is
wider than that of the primary core height so there are some
currents in upper and lower sides that are not affected by
primary flux density. The secondary plate gets higher when
it is levitated, the end of the lower side of the plate goes up
and also the lower side current that generates upward Lorentz
force goes up. As a result, the lower side current interacts more
with flux density. So, when the secondary plate is levitated, the
upward force generated by the lower side current always gets
stronger than the downward force generated by the upper side
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2 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS
Fig. 2. Eddy current, traveling field, and Lorentz force.
TABLE I
R EQUIREMENT OF H YPERLOOP
current. Because the secondary plate has magnetism, attractive
force between the secondary and primary is generated by a
traveling field. When eddy current is induced, a magnetic field
occurs opposite to the traveling field, and a repulsive force is
generated. A guide force is generated when the repulsive force
gets stronger than the attractive force because of high slip.
III. BASIC M ODEL D ESIGN OF A LL -I N -O NE S YSTEM
In order to design the basic model of the NSDLIM,
we analyzed the requirements of the hyperloop and used the
design method of the linear induction motor. Table I shows
the requirements of the hyperloop vehicle. It requires very
high acceleration, maximum speed, and high power. Maximum
speed and rated speed are the same because hyperloop runs
with maximum speed. The required thrust force is acceler-
ation multiplied by vehicle weight and is about 10% more
considering other drag forces and safety. In the vacuum tube,
air pressure is just 1/1000 of atmosphere pressure. Although
hyperloop is very fast, drag force by air resistance is not
considerable. The all-in-one system we designed contains two
NSDLIMs. Table II shows the specifications of the NSDLIM.
Because this system has not been studied or developed, some
appropriate assumptions were applied. Several specifications
such as power factor, efficiency, and space factor are set expe-
rientially. Slip was determined as 0.2 because efficiency and
power factor are reduced with increasing of slip. Fig. 3 shows
the front view and floor plan and size of the NSDLIM basic
model.
IV. F INITE -E LEMENT A NALYSIS OF NSDLIM
A. Analysis Result of Basic Model
The induction motor has a long transient period in the
analysis, and its characteristics change according to every slip.
Because the NSDLIM basic model is too long, it is hard
TABLE II
S PECIFICATION OF THE NSDLIM
Fig. 3. Front view and floor plan of the NSDLIM basic model.
to design and analyze a whole model in the program. And
the primary core should be designed long enough because
analysis takes time to reach steady state when the secondary
plate is moving. Therefore, mesh and analysis time increase
greatly. So we designed 1/2 length primary core, a long enough
secondary plate and make it moving. Directions of the double-
sided primary magnetic fluxes are the same. First, thrust force
was analyzed in condition of 386 Hz frequency and 6000 V
voltage. When voltage source is applied, the actual resistance
should be calculated but it is very hard. Equation (1) represents
thrust force of the linear induction motor
3π · L m · I12 · S · G
Fx = (1)
τ {S 2 · G 2 + 1}
where L m means magnetization inductance, I1 means primary
current, S means slip, G means goodness factor, and τ means
pole pitch. It is seen that thrust force is simply proportional
to the square of the primary current. So, if thrust force and
current by analysis results were obtained, thrust force with any
current could be calculated without reference to voltage and
actual resistance. Fig. 4 shows the thrust force characteristic of
the basic model according to slip when 7 kA current is applied.
From the analysis results, it is seen that the maximum thrust
is less than 3 kN, which is much lower than required force,
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JI et al.: STUDY OF NSDLIM FOR HYPERLOOP ALL-IN-ONE SYSTEM 3

Fig. 4. Thrust force according to slip of the basic model with 7 kA.

TABLE III
C ONDUCTIVITY OF R EDESIGNED M ODEL

and the slip with the maximum thrust is very small. The basic
model needs to be redesigned to improve thrust force.

B. Analysis Result of Redesigned Model

Because the system has a maximum speed of 1000 km/h,
even if a slight slip occurs, the actual slip frequency becomes
very large. Therefore, as slip increases, eddy current and
repulsive magnetic field increase greatly. Also air gap is large
and the secondary plate is whole aluminum with very low
magnetic permeability, so there is a lot of leakage flux. First,
S08, which is the core material of the primary, was inserted
at the center 10 mm of the secondary to reduce the leakage
of magnetic flux. Second, the resistance of the secondary
plate was adjusted. A conductivity of the secondary is too
high compared with slip frequency, so the repulsive magnetic
field and reactance are increased greatly. The resistance of the Fig. 5. Analysis result of the redesigned model. (a) Thrust force according to
secondary plate affects the slip at the maximum thrust and slip of the redesigned model. (b) Current according to slip of the redesigned
model. (c) Thrust force according to slip of the redesigned model when 7 kA
the current flowing in the secondary. The following equations, is applied.
derived from the equivalent circuit of the rotating induction
motor, are the torque (2), the slip at the maximum torque (3), secondary, that is, the conductivity, as shown in Table III,
and the secondary current (4): was divided by the percentage of the conductivity when
the conductivity of aluminum was taken as 100%, and then
3 V12 R1 analysis was carried out. Fig. 5(a) and (b) shows the thrust
T = (2)
2π f (R1 + R2 /s) + (X l1 + X l2 ) s
2 2
characteristics and the primary current. By increasing the
dT secondary resistance, it is seen that the primary current and
=0 (3) the slip at the maximum thrust are decreased. Fig. 5(c) shows
dS
R2 converted thrust force when 7 kA is applied. It is also seen that
Smax =  (4) the thrust force is increased greatly as conductivity gets lower.
R12 + (X l1 + X l2 )2 In the case of 1% of aluminum conductivity, it has maximum
S E2 thrust at 0.2 rated slip and satisfies thrust of 40 kN, larger than
I2 =  (5) required 27.5 kN thrust force. Finally, the improved model
R22 + (S X 2 )2 satisfying the required thrust was obtained by adjusting the
conductivity and inserting S08 in the center of the basic model.
where f means primary frequency, V1 means primary volt-
age, R1 and R2 mean primary and secondary resistances,
X l1 and X l2 mean primary and secondary reactance, and S V. 3-D F INITE -E LEMENT A NALYSIS FOR
means slip. According to (2)–(5), an increase in the sec- L EVITATION F ORCE
ondary resistance reduces the slip at the maximum thrust and Due to structural features, NSDLIM requires 3-D analysis
reduces the secondary current. Therefore, the resistance of the in order to investigate the levitation forces. Unlike the 2-D
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4 IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON MAGNETICS
Fig. 6. (a) Mesh of the 3-D model of two poles. (b) Offset of NSDLIM.
Fig. 7. Eddy current density-induced in secondary plate. (a) 0 offset.
(b) Offset applied.
analysis, the number of mesh and the analysis time are greatly
increased in the 3-D analysis, so a different analysis technique
is required. We used a 1/2 two-pole model of NSDLIM as
shown in Fig. 6(a) and applied periodic condition. Originally,
finite length secondary plate attached under the bottom of the
vehicle travels between double-sided primary cores. But in
this analysis with the method, it is like that endless secondary
plate travels between endless primary cores. Therefore, there is
no longitudinal end of structure so end effect and flux density
distortion is not considered. To analyze levitation force, offset
was applied as shown in Fig. 6(b). The offset is displacement
between primary core center and secondary plate center. It is
increased when the vehicle is levitated. Fig. 7 shows the
eddy current density when offset is applied. It is seen that the
vertical current that generates the thrust force decreases due to
the occurrence of the offset, but the current that generates the
levitation force increases. As shown in Fig. 8, the thrust force
decreases and the levitation force increases as offset increases.
Because 3-D analysis does not consider end effect, thrust
force is higher than 2-D analysis and has some difference
according to slip. When large offset is applied, thrust force
satisfies the required thrust of 27.5 kN. Levitation force
increases continuously as slip increases, and also increases
greatly as offset increases. Although levitation force is lower
than required force, as thrust force is quite enough, other
parameters could be adjusted to improve levitation force.
VI. C ONCLUSION
This paper proposes the NSDLIM as an all-in-one system
for hyperloop and introduces its concept, and suggests pos-
sibility. NSDLIM structure and mechanism of three forces
Fig. 8. 3-D analysis results of Al 1% model. (a) Thrust force according to
offset. (b) Levitation force according to offset.
were introduced. Requirements of the all-in-one system were
investigated, and the NSDLIM basic model was designed.
To increase thrust force, S08 was inserted in secondary and
resistance of secondary was adjusted. An NSDLIM model
that meets required thrust force was obtained, and it was
analyzed by 3-D FEM to investigate levitation force. Although
levitation force is insufficient, through additional study such as
parameter adjustment and application of ladder type secondary
plate, it could be increased and there is possibility.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
This research was supported by a grant (18CTAP-
C142921-01) from the Technology Advancement Research
Program (TARP) funded by the Ministry of Land, Infrastruc-
ture and Transport of Korean Government.
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