MAGLEV TRAIN

Maglev Trains

Trains that fly on air.

Outline

 History
 Features
 Working
 Advantages & Disadvantages
 History of maglev trains
 In the 1960s in Britain Eric Laithwaite developed a functional maglev train.
His maglev had 1.6 km of track and was in detail tested. His research was
stopped in 1973 because lack of money and his progress was not
enough. ……………………………………..
 The Japanese started their research on maglev transportations in the
beginning of the 1970s. After many years of experiments the Japanese
constructed their first test line, 7 km in 1975, and finished it in 1977.
Many test runs started in July 1977 with a velocity of 517km/h. In 1990
Japan constructed the Yamanashi Maglev test line. This test line became
42.8km long and the first running test was in 1997. The Japanese
prototype of maglev train is using repulsive forces to levitate the train,
known as electrodynamic suspension, EDS.
 In China, 2003, they finished a 30 km long German variant of maglev train
in Shanghai, that propels by attractive forces, electromagnetic suspension,
EMS . This is the first commercial magnetic levitation train in the world.
This project cost over 1 billion dollar.
 Features
 The Maglev Train is one of the fastest transport media in
the whole world.
 The Maglev Train uses magnets to reach a really high
velocity.
 It doesn’t touch the floor. It levitates because the
magnets.
 The maximum speed reached for a Maglev train has been
581 km\h in Japan.
 They travel under the principle of
electromagnetic suspension.
Types of maglev trains

 Based on the techniques used for levitation there are two types of
maglev trains

 1.electro magnetic suspension - attractive

 2.electro dynamic suspension - repulsive
 Working
Levitation system
Batteries on the train power the system, and therefore it
still functions without propulsion.
 The batteries can levitate the train for 30 minutes
without any additional energy.
 Linear generators in the magnets on board the train use
the motion of the train to recharge the batteries.
 Levitation system uses less power than the air
conditioning in the train.
Propulsion System

• The system consists of aluminum three-phase

cable windings in the stator packs that are on
the guideway
• When a current is supplied to the windings, it
creates a traveling alternating current that
propels the train forward by pushing and pulling.
 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.
• 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.
 This 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.
 Advantages
Safety
•The trains are virtually impossible to derail because the
train is wrapped around the track.
•Collisions between trains are unlikely because computers
are controlling the trains movements. Track magnets set
train direction and speed thus there is little chance of
trains crashing into another.
Maintenance
• There is very little maintenance because there is no
contact between the parts.
Comfort
•The ride is smooth while not
accelerating..
Economic Efficency
•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.

Speed
•The train can travel at about 300 mph. (Acela can only
go 150 mph)
•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.)
•It can accelerate to 200 mph in 3 miles, so it is ideal
for short jumps. (ICE needs 20 miles to reach 200 mph.)
Environment
•It uses less energy than existing transportation systems on 300 km trip
with 3 stops, the gasoline used per 100 miles varies with the speed. At
200 km/h it is 1 liter, at 300 km/h it is 1.5 liters and at 400 km/h it is 2
liters. This is 1/3 the energy used by cars and 1/5 the energy used by
jets per mile.
•The tracks have less impact on the environment because the elevated
models (50ft in the air) allows all animals to pass, low models ( 5-10 ft)
allow small animals to pass, they use less land than conventional trains,
and they can follow the landscape better than regular trains since it can
climb 10% gradients (while other trains can only climb 4 gradients) and
can handle tighter turns.
 •Noise Pollution
•The train makes little noise because it does
not touch the track and it has no motor.
Therefore, all noise comes from moving air.
This sound is equivalent to the noise
produced by city traffic.

Magnetic Field
•The magnetic field created is low,
therefore there are no adverse effects.
 disadvantages
1) Obnoxiously expensive to install.
2) Very very complex computer systems to control the
thing, requiring specialist knowledge and
maintenance.
3) Complete lack of flexibility - if any part of the
track 'breaks' (literally or the magnet stops working)
the whole system is out of action. No 'pass over at
5mph, driver' on this setup.
4) No interchangeability with other railways, so
cannot borrow rolling stock etc, or go onto other
routes.
5) Much higher Health and Safety requirements due to
greater risks because of higher speed, no driver, etc.
6) Only slightly better energy efficiency due to no
friction resistance.
 conclusion

• This system is not ready for use now, but it

should be ready in a few years.
• It’s top speed with people aboard is 350 mph.
• The super conducting magnets create a strong
magnetic field that could be a problem for some
passengers.
•The train is earthquake proof because the greater
space (10 cm) between the track and the train
leaves more room for track deformation
•Linear generators will produce all the electricity
needed in the train’s interior.
•Only the part of the track that so no energy is
wasted.