Research on Characteristics of Load Distribution and Levitation Clearance Response in High-Speed Maglev Train With Electromagnets Overlapping Structure

Abstract For a certain type of high-speed maglev train with electromagnets overlapping structure, the vertical dynamics model of which was established based on multi-body system dynamics theory, electromagnetic field theory and automatic control theory, the distribution characteristics of the train load on levitation electromagnets were theoretically analyzed. The response characteristics of the levitation clearance, together with the influence of electromagnets overlapping structure on them were studied by numerical calculation. The research results show: it is the electromagnets overlapping structure that causes the uneven distribution of the train load on levitation electromagnets, furthermore leading to the uneven distribution of the levitation clearance at different levitation electromagnets; the larger the load borne by the levitation electromagnet, the smaller the steady-state value of its levitation clearance would be, and the fluctuation range of the levitation clearance would be smaller as well when disturbed by the outside. To avoid the non-uniformity of levitation clearance distribution among different levitation electromagnets, a design method for the vertical stiffness of primary springs based on the characteristics of train load distribution was proposed and proved to be effective by numerical calculation. Through above research, the influence law and mechanism of the electromagnets overlapping structure of high-speed maglev vehicle on its levitation clearance response is revealed, which has guiding significance in terms of operation safety evaluation and levitation control strategy design for the high-speed maglev vehicle. The new design method for the primary springs vertical stiffness shows certain reference for the structural optimization design of the maglev vehicle aiming at higher speed in the future.