Yaw Motion Control of Electromagnetic Guidance System for High-Speed Maglev Vehicles

In an attractive-type high-speed magnetic levitation (maglev) train, separate electromagnets are used for lateral guidance. For the guidance system, a U-shaped electromagnet that uses transverse flux has been designed and analyzed. Electromagnets counterbalance centrifugal forces during curving as well as under all operating conditions so that the clearances between on-board magnets and the guideway surface can be maintained within an allowable range. Because of the rigidity of the bogie, coupling effects exist among the magnets that are controlled independently. This study incorporates bogie yaw motion into control law for adjusting the voltages applied to magnets to provide constant clearance control. The effects of bogie yaw motion on guidance control performance are investigated experimentally using a full-scale vehicle.