Technical Report No.1247

No. 1247

Magnetic Suspension Technology and Application for Environment- conscious Systems

Investigating R&D Committee on Ecological Technology and Application of Magnetic Suspension Systems

Keyword :

Magnetic Levitation, Magnetic Bearing, Environment-conscious Systems, Super-conducting, Diamagnetism

Resent years, many magnetic suspensions systems have reached to practical use. In the field of maglev trains, Shanghai Transrapid maintains stable commercial operation. In Japan, HSST, which was thrown into practical use for Aichi exposition in 2005, continues carrying many people every day. Linear Chuo Shinkansen project, in which SCM (Superconducting Magnet) maglev trains will be used, is going to commercial line construction. In the field of industry application, the number of clinical trials for auxiliary artificial hearts with magnetic bearing system has increased. Bearing-less motors applied to various pumps like pure water pumps in semi-conductor manufacturing plants grow in use. Non-contact guide elevators with EMS (Electromagnetic Suspension) system have been developed and planned to be introduced to newly skyscrapers. Among flywheel energy storage systems with high Tc SCM bearing, the biggest rating capacity is currently 10 kWh. In the case of SCM weight suspension type, the biggest is 50 kWh. Moreover, a semiconductor exposure apparatus with an EMS vibration isolator has been almost completed.
Social values are transforming from seeking "light and compact" products and lower cost to seeking "reliability, safety and comfort" and lower environmental impact while many magnetic suspension systems are in practical uses and the application fields are expanded as mentioned above. We investigated current researches and developments on magnetic suspensions from the social viewpoint like "environmental harmony" or "sustainable environment" as substitute for the technical viewpoint. As a result, we've succeeded in dividing environmental aspects of magnetic suspension technology and application into six categories as follows.
(i) Energy recycling: Technologies for energy transfer between kinetic and electric energies.
(ii) Power saving: Technologies for cancelling coils.
(iii) Lifetime expansion and light maintenance: Technologies for cutting wastes and getting reliability.
(iv) Stable system operation: Technologies for safety improvement and accident reduction.
(v) High quality and accuracy: Technologies for reducing trouble and defectiveness.
(vi) Riding comfort: Technologies for passenger satisfaction
In the above, (i) and (ii) belong to the lower environmental impact of the social values and (iii)-(vi) to the "reliability, safety and comfort." This report will introduce the concrete examples in every category.