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Magnetic levitation

Article  in  IEEE Potentials · April 2006

DOI: 10.1109/MP.2006.1649010 · Source: IEEE Xplore

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OVERCOMING THE GRIP of the Earth’s
gravity has been a major challenge for
years. However, the work of scientists
and engineers who have found many
ways to levitate a variety of objects is
being applied in the field of transporta-
tion in several countries.
A helicopter, for example,
may be regarded as a levita-
tion device that uses a
stream of air to keep float-
ing. Magnetic levitation
(maglev) is a way of using
electromagnetic fields to levi-
tate objects without any
noise or the need for petrol
or air.
It has been proved that
it is not possible to achieve
static levitation using any
combination of fixed mag-
nets and electric charges.
Static levitation means sta-
ble suspension of an object
against gravity. Magnetic
levitation employs diamag-
netism, which is an intrin-
sic property of many mate-
rials referring to their abili-
ty to temporarily expel a
portion of an external
magnetic field. As a result,
diamagnetic materials repel
and are repelled by strong
magnetic fields.
Materials
Materials in a magnetic
field will become magne-
tized. Most materials such
as water, wood, and plastic
are diamagnetic, which
means that they are repelled
by magnetic fields. This repulsive force,
however, is very weak compared with
the attractive force a ferromagnetic
material such as iron will experience
due to a magnetic field. As shown in
Fig. 1, if the repulsive force due to a
magnetic field on a diamagnetic object
is exactly equal to the weight of the
object, then the object may be levitated
in air. The magnetic fields required for
this type of levitation are very large,
typically 17 T. Producing such large
fields requires using superconductive
magnets. Thus, maglev relies on super-
conductors in practical applications.
Superconductors are ideal diamag-
netics and completely expel magnetic
fields at low temperatures. It is possible
to levitate superconductors and other
diamagnetic materials. It has become
MARCH/APRIL 2006
Magnetic
levitation
MATTHEW N.O. SADIKU
AND CAJETAN M. KUJUOBI
© PHOTO F/X2 & MASTERSERIES
common place to see the new high
temperature superconducting materials
levitated in this way. A superconductor
is perfectly diamagnetic, which means it
expels a magnetic field. Other diamag-
netic materials are common place and
can also be levitated in a magnetic field
if it is strong enough.
Maglev
Maglev is the means of floating
one magnet over another. According
to a theorem attributed to Earnshaw,
it is impossible to achieve static levita-
tion using any combination of fixed
magnets and electric charges. There
are, however, ways to levitate by get-
ting round the assumptions of the the-
orem. Magnetic levitation employs
diamagnetism.
0278-6648/06/$20.00 © 2006 IEEE
There are two types of maglev.
Electromagnetic levitation (EML) uses
the attractive force between electromag-
nets on the levitated object and the cir-
cuit on the ground. Electrodynamic levi-
tation makes use of the repulsive force
between magnets (superconductive
magnets) on the levitated
object and induced current
in the secondary circuit on
the ground. Thus, we may
classify magnetic levitation
systems into two groups:
attractive systems and
repulsive systems. The for-
mer is referred to as elec-
tromagnetic suspension
while the latter is referred
to as electrodynamic sus-
pension. In an attractive
system, the moving compo-
nent, or carrier, is suspend-
ed under the fixed compo-
nent, or guide track. The
attractive system uses feed-
back control, is complicat-
ed, and requires power to
levitate a carrier. The repul-
sive system utilizes perma-
nent magnets and air-core
electromagnet coils running
constant current to provide
repulsive force. It has a
simple configuration and
does not require power to
levitate a carrier.
Any maglev system con-
sists of the following three
subsystems: a magnetic sus-
pension, a propulsion
motor, and a power system.
The magnetic suspension is
supposed to ensure a stable
suspension of a vehicle in its own mag-
netic field. The propulsion motor
should produce a propulsion force suf-
ficient for a continuous flight of the
vehicle along an assigned track with a
given speed. The power system pro-
vides uninterrupted power supply. A
source of energy (an engine or a bat-
tery, at least) is always required to keep
an object afloat.
Applications
Maglev has been successfully imple-
mented for many applications in
research and industry. Levitating trains
and levitating displays are but two
examples of electromagnetic levitation.
The need for fast and reliable trans-
portation is increasing throughout the
world, particularly in developing
41
 Levitation Force
Magnetic
Field (B)
Gravity
Fig. 1 A levitated object
nations. High-speed rail has been the
solution for many countries. Trains are
fast, comfortable, and energy efficient.
Conventional railroads, however, oper-
ate at speeds below 300 km while
maglev vehicles are designed for oper-
ating speeds of up to 500 km. A maglev
train is a train-like vehicle that is sus-
pended in the air above the track and
propelled forward using the repulsive
and attractive forces of magnetism, as
shown in Fig. 2. A major advantage of
maglev systems is their ability to operate
in almost all weather conditions; they
are prepared for icy conditions because
they do not require overhead power
lines that are subject to freezing on con-
ventional railroads. The epoch-making
technology would change the train con-
trol system from conventional manual
control to ground-based control.
The United States is lagging behind
European countries in high-speed rail
research and development. In 1986, the
U.S. government stopped all funding
toward maglev technology. Meanwhile,
in Germany and Japan, magnetic levita-
tion is being implemented to solve public
transportation problems. Germany is the
furthest into their development efforts
and the closest to beginning construction
of a commercial maglev route. In 1991,
the German government approved a
maglev route for public transportation
that will run from Hamburg to Berlin.
Conclusions
While America appears to be many
years from the first maglev demonstra-
tion, this practical form of high-speed
transportation will soon be a reality in
Germany and Japan. Japan and
Germany have invested billions of dol-
lars into the research and development
of their maglev systems. In the United
States, communities from Florida to
42
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California are considering building
maglev systems. However, the full
potential of application has not yet
been realized, and the introduction of
maglev systems has been slow to occur.
Cost and complexity may be among the
reasons.
Read more about it
• M.T. Thompson, “Eddy current
magnetic levitation,” IEEE Potentials,
vol. 19, pp. 40–44, Feb./Mar. 2000.
• D. Vischer and H. Bleuler, “Self-
sensing active magnetic levitation,”
IEEE Trans. Magn., vol. 20, no. 2, pp.
1276–1281, Mar. 1993.
• E. Riches, “Will Maglev lift off?,”
IEE Review, vol. 34, no. 11, pp. 427–430,
Dec. 1988.
• F.C. Moon, Superconducting
Levitation: Applications to Bearings and
Magnetic Transportation. New York:
Wiley, 1994.
Fig. 2 Maglev train
About the authors
Matthew N. O. Sadiku <sadiku@ieee.
org> is a professor at Prairie View A&M
University. He is a former professor of
Temple University, Philadelphia and
Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton.
He is the author of many technical
papers and books including Elements of
Electromagnetics (Oxford, 3rd ed.,
2000), Numerical Techniques in
Electromagnetics (CRC, 2nd ed., 2001),
Metropolitan Area Networks (CRC Press,
1995) and Fundamentals of Electric
Circuits (McGraw-Hill, 3rd ed., 2007,
with Charles Alexander). His current
research interests are in numerical tech-
niques in electromagnetics and comput-
er communications networks. He is a
Senior Member of the IEEE.
Cajetan M. Akujuobi <cmakujuobi@
pvamu.edu> is a professor of electrical
engineering at Prairie View A&M
University and the founding director of
the Center of Excellence for Commun-
ication Systems Technology Research
(CECSTR). He is also one of the
researchers with the NASA Center for
Applied Radiation Research (CARR). He
belongs to many professional organiza-
tions. He is a Senior Member of the
IEEE and ISA. He is also a member of
ASEE, SPIE, and Sigma XI, the Scientific
Research Society. He has over 20 years
experience in engineering education,
research, and development. His current
research interests include mixed signal
systems, high speed (broadband) net-
work access technologies, and all areas
of signal and image processing and
communication systems using such
tools as wavelet and fractal transforms.
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