The growing demand for long-distance travel, combined with the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, calls for more sustainable and efficient transportation systems. Among the possible options, high-speed ground transportation systems, such as the Hyperloop, have attracted significant attention. Magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) technologies are promising candidates to meet the requirements of these applications, as they support the vehicle above the ground without physical contact. In particular, permanent magnet electrodynamic suspensions (PM-EDS), which generate a repulsive force through currents induced in a fixed conductor by moving permanent magnets (PM), offer a simple, robust, and reliable solution. However, existing PM-EDS topologies have been limited to few standard structures, with studies focusing on basic performance indicators without considering the impact of the suspension on the energy consumption or the cost of the installation.
In this context, the aim of this thesis is to identify the most suitable PM-EDS topology for the magnetic levitation of high-speed ground transportation systems. To this end, analytical, numerical, and hybrid models were developed to predict the forces generated by the suspension based on its parameters. We validated these models against experimental measurements conducted on two dedicated setups. Next, we explored new topologies using topology optimization, a method that optimizes material distribution within a defined domain. Then, the geometrical parameters of both existing and innovative topologies were optimized, first considering only the suspension, and then integrating it into the transportation system to assess the overall cost.
The results revealed that an innovative PM arrangement, featuring a double alternation of magnetic poles topped by a back-iron, seems to outperform existing topologies when integrated into high-speed transportation systems, in terms of overall cost. A simple conductive plate was also identified as the most cost-effective solution for the magnetic levitation of the vehicles in this context. These findings were made possible by extending the analysis to the system level. Topologies that performed well when studied independently in the literature, such as the Halbach array, proved to be less suitable once integrated into the application considered, highlighting the importance of the method used in this work.
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