STUDENTS:

TONY PEDERSON & TOBY MILLER

ADVISOR:

DR. WINFRED ANAKWA

 PROJECT SUMMARY
PROJECT DESCRIPTION STANDARDS

PROJECT DESCRIPTION
SCHEDULE OF TASKS

The goal of the project is to design a model size train to will be levitated and propelled by electromagnetism. A special magnet array called a Halbach array will be utilized along with a linear synchronous motor to make this train operate.

 ENVIRONMENTAL STANDARDS
Reduction in pollution in the area where they will be used will out way the increased pollution crated by power plants to power the trains.

SAFETY STANDARDS
Must prove that the new technology is safe to use.

BLOCK DIAGRAM TRAIN TRACK ELECTRODYNAMIC SUSPENSION HALBACH ARRAY LINEAR SYNCHRONOUS MOTOR CONTROLLER

FREQUENCY REFERENCE SIGNAL FOR SPEED CONTROL

CONTROLLER

TRAIN WITH SPEED SENSOR

THREEPHASE POWER INPUT

TRACK

 Made out of aluminum to minimize weight 4 rows of 8 magnets arranged in a Halbach Array 2 rows for levitation 2 rows for lateral guidance and propulsion May or may not have speed sensor. This will be determined later

 2 aluminum guide ways Wires will be wrapped around guide way to provide the levitation circuits A G scale model railroad track will be laid between guide ways to provide support for take off and stopping. A linear synchronous motor will be attached to the track to provide propulsion

 The magnets on the train produce currents while traveling in the guide way. This uses repulsion to guide and support the train, but will need a support for landing and takeoff since EDS does not work below 25 mph on a full size train. The minimum speed for levitation will be determined later once the train is built. It has been determined to be a function of magnet size and weight.

Halbach Arrays are a special arrangement that cancels the magnetic field above the magnets, but still allows a field below the magnets. The permanent magnets that will be using are made out of Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB)

Same principle as a rotary synchrounous motor

The rotor will be the Halbach Array The stator will be coils of wire on the sides of the guide way The input will be a three-phase varying frequency signal at a very low frequency (2-10 hz)

 Almost all time has been spent on research IEEE Transactions have been very helpful No track calculations have been made. The train has to be built first to determine weight of train.

OPTIMUM MAGNET THICKNESS =.2*wavelength (lambda) Optimum wavelength = 4*pi*y1 (m)

y1 = levitation height (lambda)

Br = (Tesla) remanent field of the permanent magnet

 WEEK 1 - BUILD THE TRAIN. WEEKS 2-4 - FINISH DESIGNING TRACK AND BUILD IT. WEEKS 5-12 - TESTING AND DESIGNING A CONTROLLER. WEEKS 13-16 PREPARING FOR FINALE PRESENTATION.