Lift Force Analysis for an Electrodynamic Wheel Maglev Vehicle

This article used an analytic-based 3-D second-order vector potential (SOVP) model to study the vertical dynamic force ripple and dynamic air-gap height change when using a one-pole-pair electrodynamic wheel (EDW) maglev vehicle. A one-pole pair EDW creates the lowest lift specific power; however, transient finite-element analysis (FEA) also shows that the one-pole-pair EDW will create a large oscillating vertical force when maintaining a static air-gap height. A dynamically coupled eddy current model was used to confirm that when the air-gap length is allowed to change with time, then an increase in vertical air gap creates a large decrease in lift force, thereby mitigating any large oscillatory air-gap height changes from being created by the one-pole-pair EDW. The small air-gap height variation was experimentally confirmed by using a four-wheeled proof-of-principle radial EDW-maglev vehicle.