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Mag Lev

Kreon

Golden Member
I know it uses magnets that repell one another

Are they north/north or south/south

how is propulsion attained??

Could it (at somepoint) be applied to cars?
 
Alternate the polarity of the magnets will start to repel the object forward as well as attract the magnets forward. I know there is some nice illustrations of this on the net, just can't remember where.

It could be applied to cars, but we would have to redesign all of the roads. Best if used on trains as it prevents lateral movement.
 
Originally posted by: Twinpeaksr
Alternate the polarity of the magnets will start to repel the object forward as well as attract the magnets forward. I know there is some nice illustrations of this on the net, just can't remember where.

It could be applied to cars, but we would have to redesign all of the roads. Best if used on trains as it prevents lateral movement.



Isn't it already in use for trains in asia somewhere (Japan)? I read about it 7 years ago and the article even had an illustrious picture.
 
Simply, the train carriage and track both have magnets on. The magnets are configured so that the carriage is repelled from the track. E.g. the track is covered with the S-pole exposed, and teh bottom of the carriage also has the S-poles exposed.

By having the carriage 'wrap around' the track - it will levitate and 'grip' the track laterally.

In practice, a variant of this system using 'Halbach array magnets' can be used. The arrays produce a more concentrated magnetic field, so you need fewer magnets, and the magnetic field doesn't leak into the carriage (and screw up hard drives and pacemakers). The problem with this is that the train only levitates when moving. So you need some wheels to take the weight when stopped.

The next problem is to add propulsion - one solution would be to attach a jet engine.

The more practical approach is to use a linear electric motor. Essentially, electromagnets in teh track are switched on and off in such a way as to attract and repel magnets on the carraiges.
 
hmmm
Thanks

could much the same be applied to cars (if the roads were made electro magnets)

Would they be able to turn onto other streets in much the saem way, by alternating the poles on the in ground magnets?
 
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