Aerodynamic Characteristics of High- Temperature Superconducting Maglev-Evacuated Tube Transport

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) Maglev-Evacuated tube transport (HTS Maglev-ETT) has the advantages of high speed, safety, energy saving, and environmental protection. In this system, the aerodynamic characteristics are very crucial for its design and practical application. In this paper, series of three-dimensional models of different working conditions were established, and the aerodynamic characteristics of the HTS Maglev-ETT system were studied with the utilization of ANSYS FLUENT software. It found that under the conditions of low speed, low pressure and low block ratio, the aerodynamic drag of the train is small, and the aerodynamic drag is linearly related to the block ratio. Block flow is prone to occur under conditions of high speed, high air pressure, and high block ratio. Its appearance will cause a sudden change in aerodynamic drag, so that the aerodynamic drag and block ratio are not linear. In order to ensure the safety of the HTS Maglev-ETT system, the operating speed of the system should consider the Kantrowitz limit to avoid the chocking flow. The results could provide references for preliminary design and construction of the HTS Maglev-ETT system.