High performance multifactorial designs based on a refined analytical method for HTS maglev systems

Advanced Snapshot:

The analytical model applies to reduce the amount of rare earth permanent magnet in high temperature superconducting maglev

Research Motivation:

In high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev systems, the interaction mechanism and analytical theoretical calculation between the onboard YBaCuO high-temperature superconductor and the ground permanent magnet guideway (PMG)—a key scientific issue—has not yet been effectively resolved. This further hinders in-depth analysis of parameter influence mechanisms and performance optimization of the levitation system. If a well-applicable analytical theory for electromagnetic forces can be established, leveraging its advantages of clear parameter relationships and fast computation speed, comprehensive optimization and enhancement of the levitation system can be conducted to reduce the current reliance on rare-earth permanent magnets. This would significantly advance the development of HTS maglev technology.

Data show that the current global production of high-performance rare-earth permanent magnets can only support the construction of approximately 500 kilometers of PMG lines. Promoting the further societal application of HTS maglev—an advanced self-stable levitation technology—urgently requires comprehensive optimization design to reduce the massive consumption of rare-earth permanent magnets. An analytical model of electromagnetic interaction with intuitive parameter relationships and fast computation speed serves as an important theoretical foundation for this endeavor. 

Key technical advances

• Linear critical-state law linearises the superconductor’s E–J relation without losing field-history effects.
• Three-dimensional bulk is partitioned perpendicular to the non-uniform PMG field and reduced to a solvable one-dimensional slab, preserving temperature- and field-dependent critical current density.
• Explicit expressions retain guideway geometry (remanence Br, thickness d, wavelength λ, rotation angle θ), field-cooling height and ride height, predicting both levitation and guidance forces with <5 % error versus measured data.

Conclusion and Outlook:

This study establishes a refined analytical computational model for electromagnetic forces in HTS maglev. This model fully expresses the electromagnetic characteristics of HTS maglev while offering the advantages of fast computation speed and clear, explicit parameter relationships. Complementing existing experimental and finite element numerical methods, this model provides a novel research tool for calculating levitation forces in HTS maglev. Based on this model, an in-depth analysis of the levitation mechanism was conducted, and a high-performance, low-cost, multi-parameter comprehensive design of the levitation system was performed.