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US 11,230,195 B2Granted
Hybrid electrodynamic levitation system
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorBrett D. Sjostrom
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A hybrid electrodynamic levitation system that utilizes both superconducting and conductive tracks. The hybrid system reduces the overall drag induced upon the system and reduces the amount of power required to achieve operating speeds, while resolving the issue of requiring velocity relative to the track for levitation. The total initial and operating costs of the hybrid system can be lower than utilizing a superconductive or conductive track alone, while still enabling a fail-safe levitation system for high speed transportation.
Claims20
A rail (300), comprising:
- a first portion (302) connected to a second portion (304), the first portion (302) including a superconductor (306) and the second portion (304) including a conductor, wherein a vehicle magnetically coupled to a track including the rail:
- levitates relative to the first portion when a first magnetic field interacts with a second magnetic field, the first magnetic field generated using the superconductor in a superconductive state and the second magnetic field generated from a magnet attached to the vehicle, and
- levitates relative to the second portion when the second magnetic field interacts with the conductor in an electrodynamic suspension system comprising the magnet and the conductor, wherein the vehicle levitates in response to a lift force and a experiences a resisting force resisting forward motion of the vehicle, the lift force and the resisting force resulting from a change in a magnetic field caused by motion of the magnet over the conductor.
A method of operating a vehicle, comprising:
- operating the vehicle on a track including a rail, the rail including a first portion connected to a second portion, the first portion including a superconductor and the second portion including a conductor, wherein the vehicle magnetically coupled to the track:
- levitates relative to the first portion in response to a first lift force generated when a first magnetic field generated using the superconductor in a superconductive state interacts with a second magnetic field generated from a magnet attached to the vehicle, and
- levitates relative to the second portion in response to a second lift force generated when the second magnetic field interacts with the conductor in an electrodynamics suspension system comprising the magnet and the conductor, wherein the vehicle levitates in response to a lift force and a experiences a resisting force resisting forward motion of the vehicle, the lift force and the resisting force resulting from a change in a magnetic field caused by motion of the magnet over the conductor.
A vehicle, comprising:
- a magnet attached to the vehicle, the magnet generating a magnetic field interacting with a rail including a first portion connected to a second portion, the first portion including a superconductor and the second portion including a conductor;
- and
- a computer system connected to the vehicle controlling a speed of the vehicle, wherein the vehicle:
- levitates relative to the first portion in response to a first lift force generated when a first magnetic field generated using the superconductor in a superconductive state interacts with a second magnetic field generated from a magnet attached to the vehicle,
- levitates relative to the second portion in response to a second lift force generated when the second magnetic field interacts with the conductor in an electrodynamic suspension system comprising the magnet and the conductor, wherein the vehicle levitates in response to a lift force and a experiences a resisting force resisting forward motion of the vehicle, the lift force and the resisting force resulting from a change in a magnetic field caused by motion of the magnet over the conductor, and
- has a speed entering the second portion from the first portion such that lift to drag ratio associated with the vehicle is at its maximum value for the second portion.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.