Multipurpose design optimization of EMS-type magnetically levitated vehicle based on genetic algorithm

A type of the magnetically levitated railway system with the electromagnetic suspension system (EMS), which is named HSST system, will be put into revenue service as an urban transport in Nagoya, Japan at the beginning of April 2005. To extend its operational velocity higher than 200 km/h for applications in other cities, the design of its EMS system is reexamined for improvement of riding comfort and reduction of total costs. In order to achieve these objectives, the multipurpose optimization on the basis of the genetic algorithm is applied for the design of EMS-type magnetically levitated vehicle, regarding riding comfort in high speed operation, controlled performance of EMS modules on gap length (maintainability of guideways), vehicle weight and energy consumption etc. The design is verified with the dynamic simulation of the vehicle in high-speed. Far better coordination is obtained between the EMS module design and the vehicle performances. The optimization scheme with the genetic algorithm is shown to be useful for the critical design problem as the high-speed maglev railways.