A Full Scale Superconducting Magnetic Levitation (MagLev) Vehicle Operational Line

TLDR

The effort to implement superconducting magnetic levitation began thirteen years ago with a small prototype and has been reported at multiple ASC conferences. This paper details the construction and components of a full‑scale operational MagLev vehicle capable of carrying 24 passengers, including its 200‑m test line, permanent‑magnet guideways, YBCO cryostats, linear induction motor, regenerative braking, and automated liquid‑nitrogen supply. The prototype consists of four 1.5‑m wagons that levitate over a 200‑m track, can lift more than one ton, and employs permanent Nd‑Fe‑B guideways, YBCO superconductors, a linear induction motor with regenerative braking, and an automated LN₂ system. Operational tests confirm the feasibility of the superconducting MagLev vehicle.

Abstract

This paper describes the construction and main components of a full-scale superconducting magnetic levitation vehicle. The prototype, comprising four 1.5-m-long wagons, will travel a short test line of 200 meters, connecting two buildings inside the campus of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. The efforts to implement this technology started thirteen years ago with a small-scale prototype in an attempt to prove the concept. The second step was the construction of a functional prototype that could levitate more than one Ton. The actual stage of this project is the construction of an operational prototype mentioned above, designed to transport up to 24 passengers. This work has been reported in several previous editions of the ASC conference. New details about the elevated test line, the permanent magnetic (Nd-Fe-B) guideways, the cryostats with YBCO high critical temperature superconductors, the energy conditioning, the linear induction motor and its regenerative braking, as well as the automatic supply system of liquid nitrogen will be presented in the proposed paper. Tests with this operational prototype demonstrate the technology feasibility.