Maglev Trains

Trains that fly on air.

By: Amit Verma
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 Presentation Outline
• How Transrapid works.
• Application information about Transrapid
magnetic lift trains.
• Transrapid magnetic lift projects.
• How Chuo Shinkansen works.
• Application information about Chuo
Shinkansen works.
• Summary

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 How Transrapid Works
Support System
• The electromagnets on
the underside of the
train pull it up to the
ferromagnetic stators on
the track and levitate the
train.
• The magnets on the side
keep the train from
moving from side to
side.
• A computer changes the
amount of current to
keep the train 1 cm from This means there is no friction
the track. Downloaded between
from
the train and the track!
 Levitation System’s Power Supply
• 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 trains air
conditioning.

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 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.
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 • 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.

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 Application Information
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.
Maintenance
• There is very little maintenance because there is no contact
between the parts.

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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.

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• 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.)

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Environment
• It uses less energy than existing transportation systems. For
every seat on a 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.

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• 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.

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Magnetic Field:
• The magnetic field created is low, therefore there are no
adverse effects.

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 Transrapid Projects
• China is building a 20 mile
system between Shanghai
Pudong and Pudong
International Airport. It will
open in January of 2004,
and it will reach speeds of
over 250 mph. If the project
is successful, then China
will build a system from
Beijing to Shanghai, a
journey of over 800 miles.

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• The United States Congress is planning to spend $1
billion for a test project that either connects
Pittsburgh’s suburbs with its airport or Baltimore to
the Washington International Airport.

• Germany was going to build a magnetic lift system

between Berlin and Hamburg (200 miles) in 1996, but
never did because a new political party came in and
decided that the improvements over ICE was not
worth $7 billion dollars.

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 How Chuo Shinkansen Works
Type of Magnet Uses
• 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.

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Propulsion
• 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.
• Braking is accomplished by sending an alternating current in
the reverse direction so that it is slowed by attractive and
repulsive forces.

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Levitation
• The passing of the superconducting magnets by figure eight
levitation coils on the side of the tract induces a current in the
coils and creates a magnetic field. This pushes the train
upward so that it can levitate 10 cm above the track.
• The train does not levitate until it reaches 50 mph, so it is
equipped with retractable wheels.

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Lateral Guidance
• When one side of the train nears the side of the guideway,
the super conducting magnet on the train induces a repulsive
force from the levitation coils on the side closer to the train
and an attractive force from the coils on the farther side. This
keeps the train in the center.

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 Application Information

• 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.

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• 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 is used will be electrified
so no energy is wasted.

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 Summary
• Maglev trains use magnets to levitate and
propel the trains forward.
• Since there is no friction these trains can reach
high speeds.
• It is a safe and efficient way to travel.
• Governments have mixed feelings about the
technology. Some countries, like China, have
embraced it and others like Germany have
balked at the expense.

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