Magnetic levitation system, base and carrier of a magnetic levitation system, and method of levitating a carrier

A carrier of a magnetic levitation system, the carrier being movable along a transportation track defined by a base, the carrier comprising:

• a guided structure including a first guided zone and a second guided zone configured to magnetically interact with a plurality of active magnetic bearings;
• and
• a recessed zone arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier and recessed with respect to the first guided zone and the second guided zone, wherein the recessed zone has a dimension of 1 m or more in the transport direction.

A base of a magnetic levitation system, the base defining a transportation track for a carrier and comprising:

• a plurality of active magnetic bearings for generating a levitation force for holding the carrier;
• and
• one or more controllers for individually controlling the plurality of active magnetic bearings depending on a carrier position along the transportation track, wherein the one or more controllers are configured to actively control a first subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing one of a first guided zone and a second guided zone of the carrier and to not actively control a second subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing a recessed zone of the carrier arranged between the first guided zone and the second guided zone.

A method of levitating a carrier, the carrier comprising a first guided zone, a second guided zone, and a recessed zone between the first guided zone and the second guided zone in a transport direction of the carrier, the method comprising:

• controlling a plurality of active magnetic bearings for levitating the carrier with respect to a base, wherein a first subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing one of the first guided zone and the second guided zone is actively controlled, or switched on, and a second subset of the plurality of active magnetic bearings facing the recessed zone is not actively controlled, or switched off.