• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.38-45
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• 2020

A magnetically levitating capsule train, which runs inside the sub-vacuum tube, can reach ultra-fast speeds by dramatically reducing the aerodynamic drag and friction. The capsule train uses the superconductor electrodynamic suspension (SC-EDS) method for levitation. The SC-EDS method has advantages, such as a large levitation gap and free of gap control, which could reduce the infra-construction cost. On the other hand, disadvantages, such as the large variation of the levitation-guidance gap and small damping characteristics in levitation-guidance force, could degrade the running stability and ride comfort of the capsule train. In this study, a dynamic analytical model of a capsule train based on the SC-EDS was developed to analyze the running dynamic characteristics. First, as important factors in the capsule train dynamics, the levitation and guidance stiffness in the SC-EDS system were derived, which depend non-linearly on the velocity and gap variation. A 3D dynamic analysis model for capsule trains was developed based on the derived stiffness. Through the developed model, the effects of the different running speeds on the ride comfort were analyzed. The effects of a disturbance from infrastructure, such as the curve radius, tube sag, and connection joint difference, on the running stability of the capsule train, were also analyzed.