Mag-Lev Technology

[Ronald_raygun]

Hey everyone!

Anyway, we've been given another engineering challenge and I have this idea that I would like to implement. I just don't know how.

The challenge is to develop a model maglev train which will run on a 16-20ft track. The track itself is 1" aluminum angle separated by two 3/4" x 1" x 1/8" permanent magnets. The magnets are separated by 1" x 16-20' x 1/8" flat aluminum stock bar thing. One side of the track is uniformly north, and the other south. The track itself is electrified through each piece of aluminum angle. It's similar to the image below:



We're given a motor and propeller and theoretically infinite materials to build our train.

Anyway, aside from the traditional motor-prop propulsion, I thought of electromagnets and their use on experimental maglev trains. Is there anyway I can use an electromagnet--powered by the track--to propel the train forward similar to the picture below?

[danshaffer]

it would probably be easier to have permanent magnets as your tracks and to use electromagnets on your car, but regardless it's going to be a difficult project. let me think it over for a few days, but this should be interesting!

[Tytus Gerrish]

thats the same thing as a coil gun but in the inverse. check this out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAcjPDa14rI thats a 2 stage coil gun. magnetic mass accelerator. l

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Ronald_raygun

Anyway, aside from the traditional motor-prop propulsion, I thought of electromagnets and their use on experimental maglev trains. Is there anyway I can use an electromagnet--powered by the track--to propel the train forward similar to the picture below?

Maglev trains aren't really experimental anymore, now that they've entered commercial service.

Building a model maglev train powered like the real ones is possible, but it'll involve a lot of electronics. To emulate the full size trains, you have to pulse the electro-magnets from north to south to north again precisely the right amount of time, which itself varies depending on how fast the train is moving.

I don't know the exact specifics on how on the Transrapid maglev propulsion system works, but on your model if you use hall effect sensors to pick up the magnetic fields, you can time the difference between the fields of the magnets, and know how fast you are moving. If you know how fast you are moving, you can accurately pulse the polarity of the electromagnets to propel the model forward.

[Ronald_raygun]

Hey Dan!

I know it would be easier to have the permenant magnets on my car/train, but unfortunately, those are teh competition rules.

artdutra04:

Althrough it's true that there are maglev trains in commercial service, they are employing what I see as "old technology" where the driving force comes from the magnets in the walls. That WOULD work for my situation if the magnets weren't arranged alternating north/south like the transrapid. I'm talking about the newer theoretical technologies which use a setup similar to mine.


My system gives me two tracks--one continuously north and the other continuously south--and a pair of walls to keep the train centered. The system you mentioned applies ONLY to the second picture at the beginning of this thread. I unfortunately don't have this liberty.

[AdamHeard]

Originally Posted by Ronald_raygun

Hey Dan!

I know it would be easier to have the permenant magnets on my car/train, but unfortunately, those are teh competition rules.

artdutra04:

Althrough it's true that there are maglev trains in commercial service, they are employing what I see as "old technology" where the driving force comes from the magnets in the walls. That WOULD work for my situation if the magnets weren't arranged alternating north/south like the transrapid. I'm talking about the newer theoretical technologies which use a setup similar to mine.


My system gives me two tracks--one continuously north and the other continuously south--and a pair of walls to keep the train centered. The system you mentioned applies ONLY to the second picture at the beginning of this thread. I unfortunately don't have this liberty.

If one side is always north, and onside is always south, then I guess you can only count on the track to lift the vehicle; You'll need some other sort of propulsion.