[APP1] Novel applications, Levitation, Associate components

[APP1-08] Propulsion Force Enhancement through Excitation Coil Arrangement in a Hybrid Maglev Transporter System

*Alex Hitoshi Takinami¹, Haruka Shirotani¹, Ken-ichi Kondo¹, Shunsuke Ohashi¹ (1. Kansai University (Japan))

Keywords:

Magnetic Levitation,High-Temperature Superconductors,Permanent Magnets,Flux Pinning,Coils

Long-established transporter and conveyor systems utilize mechanical components, including gears, belts, and flywheels, that generate friction, wear, dust, and mechanical losses. In this work, a hybrid magnetically levitated transporter system is introduced to overcome these issues and enable operation in specialized environments, such as clean rooms.The hybrid system consists of high-temperature superconductors (HTS) and permanent magnets (PM); the first employs flux pinning to maintain a stable levitation in both guidance and levitation direction, and the second utilizes the strong repulsive force between two permanent magnets. The HTSs are installed on the main body of the transporter, the permanent magnets positioned under a load stage, and connected via a linear guideway to ensure independent vertical movement. A magnetic rail composed of neodymium PMs in a Halbach array configuration is installed, enhancing the magnetic flux density on the upper side of the rail. Finally, coils are installed above the magnetic rail to generate a propulsion force by changing the magnetic rail’s flux density.In previous research, experiments with two-coil propulsion methods were conducted, but as the load carried by the transporter increases, these methods do not generate enough force due to inertia. Thus, the present study proposes the three-coil propulsion method, which consists of two patterns: the rear one-coil pitch with front one-coil, the Rear One-Pitch Method, and the rear one-coil with front one-coil pitch, the Front One-Pitch Method. The excitation order of the Rear One-Pitch method consists of demagnetizing the coil under the posterior part of the rear HTS, magnetizing the coil under the anterior part of the rear HTS, and magnetizing the coil under the front HTS. The Front One-Pitch method consists of demagnetizing the coil under the rear HTS, demagnetizing the coil under the posterior part of the front HTS, and magnetizing the coil under the anterior part of the front HTS.From the results, the maximum average go-back forces generated are F_AVG = 0.200, 0.182 [N] for Rear One-Pitch and Front One-Pitch methods, respectively. Also, both methods generated a similar propulsion force curve, but with the Front One-Pitch method shifted to the right by 25[mm] because, at x = 0 [mm], where the propulsion coil is just under the central axis of the HTS, it does not generate a propulsion force. Therefore, at x = 25 [mm], it generates the largest propulsion force, which is the optimal position.However, due to this curve shift, a propulsion method combining both methods is proposed, where x = 0-15[mm] uses the Rear One-Pitch method and x = 15-30[mm] uses the Front One-Pitch method. Thus, it generates a relatively uniform propulsion force by using the optimal range of both methods. Additionally, the combined method enhanced up to 22.2% on the average propulsion force compared to the separated methods.