Ground vehicle suspension and guidance and electromagnetic system therefor

Abstract: A support and guidance system includes a super conductor (20) mounted in a vehicle and positioned to be above and on both sides of the upper end of a rail (12). The super conductor is provided with a housing (18) and an iron core or shield (22) is positioned within the housing to shield and shunt the return flux of the magnet so that the fringe field does not extend into the vehicle. In the preferred form of the invention, the rail (12) in transverse section has an upper central flat surface (26) with two concave surfaces (28) extending to either side. The super conductors are positioned above and generally parallel to the concave surfaces of the rail. The iron shield (22) has a horizontal central portion (30) above the flat top of the rail and side bulbous portions (32) on either side immediately above and to the side of the super conductors. The invention has application to the magnetic support and guidance system, the vehicle with the guidance system thereon and the combination of such vehicle with the rails.

Description: Background The present invention relates to an improved electromagnetic suspension and guidance system for ground vehicles, such as a train. Prior to the present invention there have been two type of electromagnetic suspension systems. These type of systems may be classified as utilizing repulsive levitation and attractive levitation. In the repulsive type of levitation a superconducting magnet is carried by the vehicle over a metal plate and induces a current to levitate the vehicle. This type of system has two specific disadvantages. It requires the support of wheels at speeds which are below the speed required to establish the vehicle levitation and the use of the superconducting magnets creates substantial fringe fields in the portions of the vehicle normally occupied by passengers and operators. An example of this type of system can be seen in the U. S. Patent No. 3,470,828 to J. R. Powell, Jr. et al. In the attractive type of system levitation is provided by positioning a magnet supported by the vehicle below a portion of a rail, such as the flanges of a T-shaped rail, and allowing the attraction force of the magnet to provide the force of levitation. This system has the disadvantages that it does not use superconducting magnets but uses conventional copper electromagnets and thus is not as efficient as desired and further that the tolerances of construction of the rail and the vehicle have to be very high. Additionally, this systems requires that the forces created for levitation must be adjusted very rapidly for proper operation. In both of these prior art systems, an additional system is added for stabilizing the position of the vehicle with respect to the rails. Superconducting electromagnets have been known and used in the prior art. Additionally, in the use of such devices in medical apparatus, it has been found that the limiting of the fringe field was desirable and such shielding is taught in the F. R. Huson U.S. Patent Nos. 4,783,628 and 4,822,722. FR-A-2053093 describes a system for supporting and guiding a vehicle with respect to a rail using a superconducting magnet which is supported from the vehicle close to the rail. A housing surrounding the magnet contains liquid helium to cool the magnet. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved electromagnetic suspension and guidance system for a ground vehicle, such as a train, which can utilize a superconducting magnet with the advantages of the no fringe field and combines guidance and levitation all in the same system. According to the present invention there is provided a system for supporting and guiding a vehicle with respect to a rail, comprising a superconducting magnet supported from said vehicle in a position near said rail, a housing surrounding said magnet and having flow passages therein, and a source of cold helium which provides helium to said housing and passes through said passages to cool the magnet sufficiently to become superconducting; characterized in that said system includes an outer vacuum housing surrounding said magnet housing, and means for drawing a vacuum in said outer housing; and an arcuate iron shield positioned over said magnet within said housing, said shield having the characteristics and shape to prevent the entry of the fringe field within the interior of said vehicle. One embodiment of the invention provides a vehicle suspension and guidance system which utilizes superconducting electromagnetic repulsion for levitation. The superconducting magnet is carried by the vehicle, such as a train, under the body of the car and is provided across the top and partially on the side of either side of the rail, there being two rails and magnets for each rail in the preferred form of the invention. The superconducting magnet is contained within a housing through which helium, at a temperature to ensure superconductivity, is circulated. An iron core structure is contained within the housing with the superconducting magnet and the passages for the helium. This iron structure has a generally arcuate shape above the rail with enlarged inner and outer sides and functions to eliminate the fringe field above the iron structure and to enhance the magnetic field below the iron structure. This housing is supported within a hollow structure in which a vacuum is maintained. In such a system the fringe field can be substantially totally shielded from the interior of the vehicle. The system is efficient in its use of power and does not require close tolerances between the rail and the electromagnetic structure. The invention will be described now by way of example only, with particular reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings: FIGURES 1a and 1b are elevation and plan views, respectively, of a rail vehicle utilizing the improved system of the present invention. FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along line 2-2 in FIGURE 1. FIGURE 3 is an enlarged detail sectional view of the structure of the top portion of one rail and the electromagnet and its housing and other associated structure. Description of the Preferred Embodiment Vehicle 10 illustrated in FIGURES 1a, 1b and 2 is a train which is mounted on a pair of spaced parallel rails 12. Train 10 includes a plurality of individual cars 14 which provide the seating of passengers (or cargo storage). Individual support and guidance systems 16 are provided over each rail 12 in an area which spans the adjoining ends of the cars 14. Each car may be provided with suitable support means (not shown) for the support of the car when the systems 16 are not in operation. As shown in FIGURE 2, a support system 16 is provided over each of the rails 12. The support system 16 is shown in greater detail in FIGURE 3. Such support system 16 includes a housing 18 which contains a pair of superconducting conductors 20, iron shield 22 and passages 24 for the liquid helium which is to be circulated therethrough to ensure that the temperature is below the critical point for the superconductivity operation of the super conductors 20. It should be noted that rail 12 has an upper edge which is relatively flat on top forming surface 26 and including concave surfaces 28 extending from top surface 26 to each side of rail 12. Iron shield 22 has a continuous shape, the central portion 30 of which is generally parallel with top surface 26 and bulbous side portions 32 which have a lower surface 34 which are generally parallel with concave surfaces 28 and upper recesses 36 in each bulbous side portion 32 to provide for helium passages 24. Shield 38 surrounds housing 18 as shown and is surrounded by vacuum housing 40. Though not shown, it is understood that suitable connections are provided to make the necessary electrical connections to super conductors 20 and also suitable lines through which liquid helium is conducted into housing and back to the source (not shown) of the liquid helium. Iron shield or core 22 is shaped to shunt the return flux of the magnet so that there is no fringe magnetic field produced in the passenger compartment of the cars 14. Iron core 22 will also enhance the field produced by super conductors 20. In operation, the magnetic field produced by super conductors 20 penetrates the rail and as the train moves the time-changing field induces an image current in the rail. The Lorentz force between magnetic field and image current produces a pattern of forces including vertical and horizontal components. The vertical component of force levitates the train from the rail. The horizontal components of force are balanced when the train is centered on the rail, but deliver a restoring force if it moves to the right or left. Both lift and guidance functions are thus achieved by a single magnet with respect to each rail. No feedback loops and no stabilizing systems are required for the proper operation of the system. Any suitable drive may be used to propel, vehicle 10 along the path defined by rails 16. Also, it should be understood that the present invention may be used with a single car.

Claims: A system for supporting and guiding a vehicle (10) with respect to a rail (12), comprising a superconducting magnet (20) supported from said vehicle (10) in a position near said rail (12), a housing (18) surrounding said magnet (20) and having flow passages (24) therein, and a source of cold helium which provides helium to said housing (18) and passes through said passages (24) to cool the magnet (20) sufficiently to become superconducting; characterized in that said system includes an outer vacuum housing (40) surrounding said magnet housing (18), and means for drawing a vacuum in said outer housing (40); and an arcuate iron shield (22) positioned over said magnet (20) within said housing (18), said shield having the characteristics and shape to prevent the entry of the fringe field within the interior of said vehicle (10). A system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle (10) is to be supported and guided with respect to two parallel rails (12) and including a complete system of magnet and shield for each rail. A system according to claim 1, further characterized by said iron shield (22) enhancing the magnetic field of said magnet. A system according to claim 3, further including a pair of rails (12) positioned in spaced parallel relationship to each other, a pair of superconducting magnets (20) supported on said vehicle, one of said pair of magnets (20) being positioned over one of said rails (12) and the other of said magnets (20) being positioned over the other of said rails (12) to support and guide said vehicle (10) on said rails, and shielding means (22) for each of said magnets. A system according to claim 1, further characterised by said magnet (20) having first and second magnet surfaces (34) opposing first and second top conductive surfaces (28), respectively, of said rail (12); wherein said magnet (20) comprises first and second conductors disposed near said first and second magnet surfaces (34), respectively, for carrying current so as to generate a repelling magnetic force between said first and second magnet surfaces (34) and said first and second top conductive surfaces (28) of said rail (12), respectively; and further characterised by the first and second magnet surfaces (34) being disposed at an angle relative to one another so that the repelling magnetic force between said magnet (20) and said rail (12) results in a net levitating force to laterally guide said vehicle (10) along said rail (12). A system according to claim 5, wherein said first and second top conductive surfaces (28) of said rail (12) are concave in shape. A system according to claim 6, wherein said rail (12) has a third top surface (26) disposed between said first and second surfaces, said third top surface (26) being substantially flat. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second surfaces (34) of said magnet (20) are convex in shape.

Inventors: HUSON FREDERICK R, HUSON, FREDERICK R.
Applicants: HOUSTON ADVANCED RES CENTER, HOUSTON ADVANCED RESEARCH CENTER
Application year: 1991
Main classification: B60L13
IPC codes: H01F6, B60L13, H05K9