CANADIAN DEVELOPMENTS IN SUPERCONDUCTING MAGLEV AND LINEAR SYNCHRONOUS MOTORS

Superconducting Maglev and linear synchronous motor (LSM) propulsion for high speed inter-city transportation is being investigated by a group of Canadian scientists and engineers. Their present development program is modest compared with efforts in Japan and West Germany, but stresses some relatively advanced concepts, including variable-speed phase angle controlled LSM propulsion and guidance schemes using flat-topped guideways (minimizing ice and snow accumulation--a potentially serious problem during Canadian winters). At 480 km/hr, a 100 passenger vehicle weighing 300 kN is levitated 15 cm clear of a flat guideway by eight 3.85 x 10 to 5th power ampere-turns 100 x 30 cm magnets interacting with eddy currents induced in two 80 x 1 cm aluminum strips. The variable-speed LSM uses fifty 5 x 10 to 5th power ampere-turns 40 x 150 cm magnets interacting with split three-phase windings energized in 5 km sections and phase angle controlled to give 72% efficiency and 0.82 power factor. A lateral restoring force of 10 to 4th power N/cm is produced by the propulsion magnets interacting with the levitation strip edges and with flat null-flux loops overlying the LSM windings.

• Corporate Authors:

  IPC Science and Technology Press Limited

  IPC House, 32 High Street
  Guildford, Surrey  England 
• Authors:
  • Atherton, D L
  • Eastham, A R
• Publication Date: 1975-7

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 395-402
• Serial:
  • Cryogenics
  • Volume: 15
  • Issue Number: 7
  • Publisher: Butterworths and Company Publishers, Limited

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Intelligent transportation systems; Linear motors; Magnetic levitation; Synchronous motors
• Geographic Terms: Canada
• Old TRIS Terms: Advanced systems
• Subject Areas: Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Railroads;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00128903
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Engineering Index
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 4 1976 12:00AM