Analysis and Control of the Electromagnetic Coupling Effect of the Levitation and Guidance Systems for a Semi-High-Speed MAGLEV Using a Magnetic Equivalent Circuit

This paper describes the levitation and guidance characteristics of a semi-high-speed magnetic levitation (MAGLEV) vehicle. For a MAGLEV, which operates at 200 km/h, the guidance magnet is essential for high-speed operation at curves and against a side wind. The levitation and guidance magnets are electromagnetically and dynamically coupled, because both are used in a single rail. Because of the interactions between the levitation and guidance systems, clear establishment of their correlation is required for robust and stable control. We identify the electromagnetic/dynamic correlation of the levitation and guidance systems of the MAGLEV using a magnetic equivalent circuit and motion equations. A controller is developed to realize stable control by considering the system correlation. The control properties are obtained through simulation to achieve stable levitation and guidance.