Title: A passive Maglev vehicle with self-regulating aerostatic-aerodynamic pads

Authors: Roberto Bassani

Addresses: Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica, Nucleare e della Produzione, Universita di Pisa – via Diotisalvi, 2 56126, Italy

Abstract: The levitation of an operating Maglev is obtained with electromagnets EMS or superconducting materials SMS. In 2003, we designed a simpler Maglev PMS, which is levitated by permanent-magnet-aluminium circuits to remove the lateral instability of permanent magnets. In this paper, we show how to increase the side stability of this Maglev using lateral aerostatic-aerodynamic pivoted pads, arranged in the gap slide-guide. The air impacts the head of the pads giving a high aerostatic lift, which is added to the aerodynamic lift. The pads self-regulate their slope, thus increasing their lift as external forces increase.

Keywords: passive magnetism; air lubrication; pivoted pads; tribology; Maglev vehicles; aerostatic lift; aerodynamic lift; self-regulating pads; lateral stability; permanent magnets.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2011.043108

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2011 Vol.18 No.4, pp.359 - 389

Published online: 29 Jan 2015 *

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