Force on a Rectangular Coil Moving above a Conducting Slab

Abstract

The force on a rectangular current-carrying coil moving above and parallel to a conducting plate of arbitrary thickness is investigated. Expressions are developed for the lift and drag forces on the coil as a function of speed. Numerical calculations are made for a very thick plate and for plates with thickness of the order of the skin depth. Thick-plate results are compared with experimental measurements of lift and drag on a superconducting coil suspended above a rotating aluminum wheel.