DOCSLIB.ORG

Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) Technologies

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) Technologies T Technology echnolo Railway Technology Today 12 (Edited by Kanji Wako) Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) Technologies design, with motors and other equipment 1. Superconducting Maglev mounted on the rolling stock, electric power collected from overhead wires, and wheels running on rails. It is extremely Developed by RTRI and JR Central difficult to modify this conventional Kazuo Sawada design to increase speeds much more. Some inherent limitations are: The Tokaido Shinkansen began operations considered the ultimate form of high- • Greater size and weight of on-board in 1964 and was an immediate success. speed rail travel. But passengers in Japan equipment Since then, Japan’s shinkansen network now demand even faster rail service, as • Difficulty in collecting electric power has expanded considerably, and its we can see in the preference they have • Reduced adhesion between wheels success has prompted rapid development recently shown for the Nozomi on the and rails at higher speeds, causing of high-speed railways in other countries San’yo Shinkansen that runs at 300 km/h, wheel slip as well, especially in the West. or 70 km/h faster than the older Hikari. In its early days, the shinkansen was The shinkansen uses a conventional train The shinkansen, and other similar high- Figure 1 Different Propulsion Methods of Conventional Electric Railways and Superconducting Maglev Guideway gy Conventional Railway Split open and spread out Pantograph Synchronous motor Light, powerful onboard On-board electrical equipment superconducting magnets Transformers N S create a magnetic field Inverters, etc. like an electric motor. S N Superconducting Maglev Guideway Car side S N S Transformer N Side wall of guideway station Ground side: Transformers Propulsion coils that act like an Inverters electric motor armature are Filters, etc. mounted in a continuous line on the guideway. The magnetic force on the car side is strong, so the magnetic force on the ground side is weak. 58 Japan Railway & Transport Review 25 • October 2000 Copyright © 2000 EJRCF. All rights reserved. speed trains in different parts of the world, have made rail travel faster than ever before, but the speed is reaching the maximum possible with present technology. To break through this speed barrier, the Railway Technical Research Institute (RTRI) and JR Central are working together to develop technologies for a new type of railway that is ideal for high speed travel— the superconducting magnetically levitated train (maglev). Advantages of Superconducting Maglev Superconducting maglevs are also called The ML-500 test reached a speed of 517 km/h in 1979 (RTRI) linear motor cars. The motor is linear, not rotary. We can think of it as an ordinary sides. Thus, the train does not carry supplies electric power to a guideway for electric motor that has been split open, equipment such as transformers and transport is Germany’s Transrapid system. spread out flat, and oriented in the inverters. As a result, it is very light and As mentioned, superconducting magnets direction of train travel (Fig. 1). The motor slim, but still capable of harnessing a large are used create a strong magnetic force does not rotate; instead, it exerts a kinetic propulsive force. Another advantage is to propel the vehicle. But they offer more force in a straight line, or guideway. that there are no current collectors and than just propulsion—they also levitate One part of the linear motor is mounted electromagnetic force levitates the the vehicles and guide them within the on the train, the other on the guideway. vehicles, so there are no wheels or rail bounds of the guideway. The train has light but powerful adhesion problems. The system takes advantage of the superconducting magnets, and the Different types of linear motors have been naturally stabilizing effect provided by guideway has energized coils along the developed, but the only other type that electromagnet induction. No controlling devices whatsoever are needed to keep the train on its guideway, and there is no risk of the train ‘derailing.’ The magnetic levitation force is ideal for supporting a train at very high speeds. Development History In the early development stages, superconducting magnet technology was considered an esoteric technical field and some people assumed that the technology could never be used for commercial train travel. But the former Japanese National Railways (JNR) was convinced that the technology held great potential for very fast rail travel, and began conducting maglev R&D in 1970. MLU001 Three-car train on Miyazaki Test Track (RTRI) In 1977, experiments began in earnest on Copyright © 2000 EJRCF. All rights reserved. Japan Railway & Transport Review 25 • October 2000 59 Technology the Miyazaki Test Track in southern Japan. long, and the middle cars are 22 to 24 m. In 1979, the prototype ML-500 test train The Yamanashi Test Line The 20-tonne cars are only half the weight reached an unmanned speed of 517 km/h of the latest shinkansen carriages because on the 7-km track, proving the maglev’s The 18.4-km Yamanashi Test Line supports they use a linear motor system with tremendous potential for high speed. The a wide range of tests to determine the excellent propulsive power. track was modified later into a more commercial viability of superconducting Another special feature of the maglev car practical U-shaped guideway. maglev transport. It was built by JR is the articulated system used to connect At this stage, the Japanese government Central, which hopes to operate a maglev cars. We chose this system in order to started providing the project with financial between Tokyo and Osaka, and RTRI, reduce the height of the carriage body and assistance. The manned MLU001 was the which took over superconducting maglev to facilitate installation of magnetic first train set developed with government development from the former JNR. The shielding in passenger compartments. The subsidies and had three cars. Japanese government provides shield reduces the magnetic field at seats Soon, the MLU002 and then the considerable financial assistance. closest to the superconducting magnet to MLU002N were being used for a wide Tunnels make up 16 km of the line and about 4 gauss. For the sake of range of experiments on the Miyazaki Test there is one open section 1.5-km long comparison, hospitals recommend 5 Track. But the test track was too short and almost in the middle of the line. A gauss as the maximum permissible only had a single guideway with no substation for power conversion, and exposure for a pacemaker wearer. tunnels and almost no gradients. other facilities are located at the test centre Obviously, the experimental data from the on the open section. Part of the line is Results from Yamanashi track would be too limited to verify the double-tracked to simulate actual Test Line maglev’s commercial potential. operating conditions. This makes it After JNR was split and privatized in 1987, possible to conduct tests with trains Trial runs were begun on the Yamanashi the Tokaido Shinkansen experienced a travelling in opposite directions and Test Line in April 1997. The first train set dramatic increase in passengers, leading passing each other at high speed. The of three cars was powered by a linear to more calls to build a commercial maximum gradient is 40 per mill, while motor but driven at low speed. In early superconducting maglev as soon as conventional shinkansen lines are 30 per tests, the cars were not levitated; instead, feasible. As a result, the Yamanashi Test mill at most. they ran on rubber tyres. Once tests Line was constructed in Yamanashi A total of 7 cars have been developed for verified that there were no defects in the Prefecture, 100 km west of Tokyo. two train sets. The head cars are 28-m vehicles or guideway, levitation runs began at the end of May 1997. Thereafter, speed was increased in very small increments over a considerable period of time, with continual monitoring to measure car movement and verify braking performance. On 12 December 1997, a new world record of 531 km/h was set for manned train travel. Then, a maximum speed of 550 km/h was achieved on 24 December for an unmanned run, thereby achieving one of the original objectives of the Yamanashi Test Line. Only one problem remains to be solved— air vibration that rattles the windows of buildings near tunnel portals when a maglev train enters or leaves a tunnel at high speed. We are presently attempting to solve this problem by installing air This five-car train set registered a record speed of 552 km/h on 14 April 1999 (RTRI) baffles at tunnel portals, and by modifying 60 Japan Railway & Transport Review 25 • October 2000 Copyright © 2000 EJRCF. All rights reserved. the opening design (JRTR 22 pp. 48–57). during this time, and we have achieved There are no other environmental all of our original objectives, including a Conclusion problems— ground vibration maximum speed of 550 km/h and relative measurements indicate values well within passing speeds of 1000 km/h. The superconducting maglev is an entirely acceptable limits and noise levels are also The Ministry of Transport established the new type of railway that combines the within acceptable limits. Aerodynamic Maglev Technical Performance Evaluation latest technologies in power electronics noise can probably be reduced further by Committee to verify the technical merits (e.g., superconducting magnets), making the cars even more streamlined. of the system. The Committee report said, communications and other high-tech Measurements of the magnetic field, at ‘Although further study is required to fields. Maglev development sets a new ground level directly under the standard evaluate long-term durability and cost course for rail transport and is a significant 8m-high elevated guideway show a effectiveness, it appears that the milestone in the 170 years of railway magnetic field of only 0.2 gauss caused superconducting maglev system is history.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Integrating Urban Public Transport Systems and Cycling Summary And
    CPB Corporate Partnership Board Integrating Urban Public Transport Systems and Cycling 166 Roundtable Summary and Conclusions Integrating Urban Public Transport Systems and Cycling Summary and Conclusions of the ITF Roundtable on Integrated and Sustainable Urban Transport 24-25 April 2017, Tokyo Daniel Veryard and Stephen Perkins with contributions from Aimee Aguilar-Jaber and Tatiana Samsonova International Transport Forum, Paris The International Transport Forum The International Transport Forum is an intergovernmental organisation with 59 member countries. It acts as a think tank for transport policy and organises the Annual Summit of transport ministers. ITF is the only global body that covers all transport modes. The ITF is politically autonomous and administratively integrated with the OECD. The ITF works for transport policies that improve peoples’ lives. Our mission is to foster a deeper understanding of the role of transport in economic growth, environmental sustainability and social inclusion and to raise the public profile of transport policy. The ITF organises global dialogue for better transport. We act as a platform for discussion and pre- negotiation of policy issues across all transport modes. We analyse trends, share knowledge and promote exchange among transport decision-makers and civil society. The ITF’s Annual Summit is the world’s largest gathering of transport ministers and the leading global platform for dialogue on transport policy. The Members of the Forum are: Albania, Armenia, Argentina, Australia, Austria,
    [Show full text]
  • Mezinárodní Komparace Vysokorychlostních Tratí
    Masarykova univerzita Ekonomicko-správní fakulta Studijní obor: Hospodářská politika MEZINÁRODNÍ KOMPARACE VYSOKORYCHLOSTNÍCH TRATÍ International comparison of high-speed rails Diplomová práce Vedoucí diplomové práce: Autor: doc. Ing. Martin Kvizda, Ph.D. Bc. Barbora KUKLOVÁ Brno, 2018 MASARYKOVA UNIVERZITA Ekonomicko-správní fakulta ZADÁNÍ DIPLOMOVÉ PRÁCE Akademický rok: 2017/2018 Studentka: Bc. Barbora Kuklová Obor: Hospodářská politika Název práce: Mezinárodní komparace vysokorychlostích tratí Název práce anglicky: International comparison of high-speed rails Cíl práce, postup a použité metody: Cíl práce: Cílem práce je komparace systémů vysokorychlostní železniční dopravy ve vybra- ných zemích, následné určení, který z modelů se nejvíce blíží zamýšlené vysoko- rychlostní dopravě v České republice, a ze srovnání plynoucí soupis doporučení pro ČR. Pracovní postup: Předmětem práce bude vymezení, kategorizace a rozčlenění vysokorychlostních tratí dle jednotlivých zemí, ze kterých budou dle zadaných kritérií vybrány ty státy, kde model vysokorychlostních tratí alespoň částečně odpovídá zamýšlenému sys- tému v ČR. Následovat bude vlastní komparace vysokorychlostních tratí v těchto vybraných státech a aplikace na český dopravní systém. Struktura práce: 1. Úvod 2. Kategorizace a členění vysokorychlostních tratí a stanovení hodnotících kritérií 3. Výběr relevantních zemí 4. Komparace systémů ve vybraných zemích 5. Vyhodnocení výsledků a aplikace na Českou republiku 6. Závěr Rozsah grafických prací: Podle pokynů vedoucího práce Rozsah práce bez příloh: 60 – 80 stran Literatura: A handbook of transport economics / edited by André de Palma ... [et al.]. Edited by André De Palma. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar, 2011. xviii, 904. ISBN 9781847202031. Analytical studies in transport economics. Edited by Andrew F. Daughety. 1st ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1985. ix, 253. ISBN 9780521268103.
    [Show full text]
  • Modeling and Simulation of Shanghai MAGLEV Train Transrapid with Random Track Irregularities
    Modeling and Simulation of Shanghai MAGLEV Train Transrapid with Random Track Irregularities Prof. Shu Guangwei M.Sc. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Reinhold Meisinger Prof. Shen Gang Ph.D. Shanghai Institute of Technology, Shanghai, P.R. China Nuremberg University of Applied Sciences, Nuremberg, Germany Tongji University, Shanghai, P.R. China Abstract The MAGLEV Transrapid is a kind of new type high speed train in the world which is levitated and gui- ded over the track using electro magnetic forces. Because the electro magnets are unstable, they ha- ve to be controlled. Since 2002 the worldwide first commercial use of such a high speed train based on German technology is running successfully in Shanghai Pudong Airport, P.R.China. In this paper modeling of the high speed MAGLEV train Transrapid is discussed, which considered the whole mechanical system of one vehicle with optimized suspension parameters and all controlled electro magnet pairs in vertical and lateral directions. The dynamical simulation code is generated with MATLAB/SIMILINK. For the design of the control system, the optimal Linear Quadratic Control for minimum control energy is used for each single electro magnet. The simulation results are presen- ted with the given vertical and lateral random track irregularities. The research work was carried out together with Prof. Shen Gang, Ph.D. during the time Prof. Dr. Meisinger was visiting professor in Shanghai 2006 and Prof. Shu Guangwei, M.Sc. was visiting profes- sor in Nuremberg 2007. ISSN 1616-0762 Sonderdruck Schriftenreihe der Georg-Simon-Ohm-Fachhochschule Nürnberg Nr. 39, Juli 2007 Schriftenreihe Georg-Simon-Ohm-Fachhochschule Nürnberg Seite 3 1.
    [Show full text]
  • Intercity Bus Transportation System and Its Competition in Malaysia
    Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.8, 2011 Intercity Bus Transportation System and its competition in Malaysia Bayu Martanto ADJI Angelalia ROZA PhD Candidate Masters Candidate Center for Transportation Research Center for Transportation Research Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Engineering University of Malaya University of Malaya 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Fax: +603-79552182 Fax: +603-79552182 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Raja Syahira RAJA ABDUL AZIZ Mohamed Rehan KARIM Masters Candidate Professor Center for Transportation Research Center for Transportation Research Faculty of Engineering Faculty of Engineering University of Malaya University of Malaya 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia Fax: +603-79552182 Fax: +603-79552182 Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected] Abstract : Intercity transportation in Malaysia is quite similar to other countries, which involve three kinds of modes, namely, bus, rail and air. Among these modes, bus transportation continues to be the top choice for intercity travelers in Malaysia. Bus offers more flexibility compared to the other transport modes. Due to its relatively cheaper fare as compared to the air transport, bus is more affordable to those with low income. However, bus transport service today is starting to face higher competition from rail and air transport due to their attractive factors. The huge challenge faced by intercity bus transport in Malaysia is the management of its services. The intercity bus transport does not fall under one management; unlike rail transport which is managed under Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB), or air transport which is managed under Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB).
    [Show full text]
  • Bullets and Trains: Exporting Japan's Shinkansen to China and Taiwan
    Volume 5 | Issue 3 | Article ID 2367 | Mar 01, 2007 The Asia-Pacific Journal | Japan Focus Bullets and Trains: Exporting Japan's Shinkansen to China and Taiwan Christopher P. Hood Bullets and Trains: ExportingJapan ’s Japan, like many other countries has a de facto Shinkansen to China and Taiwan two-China policy with formal recognition of the People’s Republic but extensive economic and By Christopher P. Hood other ties with the Republic. One example of this dual policy is the use of Haneda Airport by China Airlines (Taiwan), but the use of Narita It is over forty years since the Shinkansen Airport by airlines from China. (‘bullet train’) began operating between Tokyo and Osaka. Since then the network has The Shinkansen expanded, but other countries, most notably France and Germany, have been developing The Shinkansen is one ofJapan ’s iconic their own high speed railways, too. As other symbols. The image ofMount Fuji with a countries, mainly in Asia, look to develop high passing Shinkansen is one of the most speed railways, the battle over which country projected images of Japan. The history of the will win the lucrative contracts for them is on. Shinkansen dates back to the Pacific War. It is not only a matter of railway technology. Shima Yasujiro’s plan for thedangan ressha Political, economic & cultural influences are (‘bullet train’) then included the idea of a line also at stake. This paper will look at these linking Tokyo with Korea and China (1). various aspects in relation to the export of the Although that plan never materialised, the Shinkansen to China in light of previous Shinkansen idea was reborn nearly two Japanese attempts to export the Shinkansen decades later, as yume-no-chotokkyu (‘super and the situation in Taiwan.
    [Show full text]
  • Land Transport Safety
    - PART II - Outline of the Plan CHAPTER 1 Land Transport Safety Section 1 Road Transport Safety 1 Improvement of Road Traffic Environment To address the changes in the social situation such as the problem of a low birthrate and an aging population, there is a need to reform the traffic community to prevent accidents of children and ensure that the senior citizens can go out safely without fear. In view of this, people-first roadway improvements are being undertaken by ensuring walking spaces offering safety and security by building sidewalks on roads such as the school routes, residential roads and urban arterial roads etc. In addition to the above mentioned measures, the road traffic environment improvement project is systematically carried out to maintain a safe road traffic network by separating it into arterial high-standard highways and regional roads to control the inflow of the traffic into the residential roads. Also, on the roads where traffic safety has to be secured, traffic safety facilities such as sidewalks are being provided. Thus, by effective traffic control promotion and detailed accident prevention measures, a safe traffic environment with a speed limit on the vehicles and separation of different traffic types such as cars, bikes and pedestrians is to be created. 1 Improvement of people-first walking spaces offering safety and security (promoting building of sidewalks in the school routes) 2 Improvement of road networks and promoting the use of roads with high specifications 3 Implementation of intensive traffic safety measures in sections with a high rate of accidents 4 Effective traffic control promotion 5 Improving the road traffic environment in unison with the local residents 6 Promotion of accident prevention measures on National Expressways etc.
    [Show full text]
  • By James Powell and Gordon Danby
    by James Powell and Gordon Danby aglev is a completely new mode of physically contact the guideway, do not need The inventors of transport that will join the ship, the engines, and do not burn fuel. Instead, they are the world's first wheel, and the airplane as a mainstay magnetically propelled by electric power fed superconducting Min moving people and goods throughout the to coils located on the guideway. world. Maglev has unique advantages over Why is Maglev important? There are four maglev system tell these earlier modes of transport and will radi- basic reasons. how magnetic cally transform society and the world economy First, Maglev is a much better way to move levitation can in the 21st Century. Compared to ships and people and freight than by existing modes. It is wheeled vehicles—autos, trucks, and trains- cheaper, faster, not congested, and has a much revolutionize world it moves passengers and freight at much high- longer service life. A Maglev guideway can transportation, and er speed and lower cost, using less energy. transport tens of thousands of passengers per even carry payloads Compared to airplanes, which travel at similar day along with thousands of piggyback trucks into space. speeds, Maglev moves passengers and freight and automobiles. Maglev operating costs will at much lower cost, and in much greater vol- be only 3 cents per passenger mile and 7 cents ume. In addition to its enormous impact on per ton mile, compared to 15 cents per pas- transport, Maglev will allow millions of human senger mile for airplanes, and 30 cents per ton beings to travel into space, and can move vast mile for intercity trucks.
    [Show full text]
  • Bilevel Rail Car - Wikipedia
    Bilevel rail car - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilevel_rail_car Bilevel rail car The bilevel car (American English) or double-decker train (British English and Canadian English) is a type of rail car that has two levels of passenger accommodation, as opposed to one, increasing passenger capacity (in example cases of up to 57% per car).[1] In some countries such vehicles are commonly referred to as dostos, derived from the German Doppelstockwagen. The use of double-decker carriages, where feasible, can resolve capacity problems on a railway, avoiding other options which have an associated infrastructure cost such as longer trains (which require longer station Double-deck rail car operated by Agence métropolitaine de transport platforms), more trains per hour (which the signalling or safety in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The requirements may not allow) or adding extra tracks besides the existing Lucien-L'Allier station is in the back line. ground. Bilevel trains are claimed to be more energy efficient,[2] and may have a lower operating cost per passenger.[3] A bilevel car may carry about twice as many as a normal car, without requiring double the weight to pull or material to build. However, a bilevel train may take longer to exchange passengers at each station, since more people will enter and exit from each car. The increased dwell time makes them most popular on long-distance routes which make fewer stops (and may be popular with passengers for offering a better view).[1] Bilevel cars may not be usable in countries or older railway systems with Bombardier double-deck rail cars in low loading gauges.
    [Show full text]
  • Domestic Ferry Safety - a Global Issue
    Princess Ashika – Tonga – 5 August 2009 74 Lives Lost Princess of the Stars – Philippines - 21 June 2008 800 + Lives Lost Spice Islander I – Zanzibar – 10 Sept 2011 1,600 Dead / Missing “The deaths were completely senseless… a result of systemic and individual failures.” Domestic Ferry Safety - a Global Issue John Dalziel, M.Sc., P.Eng., MRINA Roberta Weisbrod, Ph.D., Sustainable Ports/Interferry Pacific Forum on Domestic Ferry Safety Suva, Fiji October / November 2012 (Updated for SNAME Halifax, Oct 2013) Background Research Based on presentation to IMRF ‘Mass Rescue’ Conference – Gothenburg, June 2012 Interferry Tracked Incidents Action – IMO / Interferry MOU Bangladesh, Indonesia, … JWD - Personal research Press reports, blogs, official incident reports (e.g., NZ TAIC ‘Princess Ashika’) 800 lives lost each year - years 2000 - 2011 Ship deemed to be Unsafe (Source - Rabaul Queen Commission of Inquiry Report) our A ship shall be deemed to be unsafe where the Authority is of the opinion that, by reason of– (a) the defective condition of the hull, machinery or equipment; or (b) undermanning; or (c) improper loading; or (d) any other matter, the ship is unfit to go to sea without danger to life having regard to the voyage which is proposed.’ The Ocean Ranger Feb 15, 1982 – Newfoundland – 84 lives lost “Time & time again we are shocked by a new disaster…” “We say we will never forget” “Then we forget” “And it happens again” ‘The Ocean Ranger’ - Prof. Susan Dodd, University of Kings College, 2012 The Ocean Ranger Feb 15, 1982 – Newfoundland – 84 lives lost “the many socio-political forces which contributed to the loss, and which conspired to deal with the public outcry afterwards.” “Governments will not regulate unless ‘the public’ demands that they do so.” ‘The Ocean Ranger’ - Prof.
    [Show full text]
  • Sounder Commuter Rail (Seattle)
    Public Use of Rail Right-of-Way in Urban Areas Final Report PRC 14-12 F Public Use of Rail Right-of-Way in Urban Areas Texas A&M Transportation Institute PRC 14-12 F December 2014 Authors Jolanda Prozzi Rydell Walthall Megan Kenney Jeff Warner Curtis Morgan Table of Contents List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ 8 List of Tables ................................................................................................................................. 9 Executive Summary .................................................................................................................... 10 Sharing Rail Infrastructure ........................................................................................................ 10 Three Scenarios for Sharing Rail Infrastructure ................................................................... 10 Shared-Use Agreement Components .................................................................................... 12 Freight Railroad Company Perspectives ............................................................................... 12 Keys to Negotiating Successful Shared-Use Agreements .................................................... 13 Rail Infrastructure Relocation ................................................................................................... 15 Benefits of Infrastructure Relocation ...................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Flywheel Energy Storage System with Superconducting Magnetic Bearing
    Flywheel Energy Storage System with Superconducting Magnetic Bearing Makoto Hirose * , Akio Yoshida , Hidetoshi Nasu , Tatsumi Maeda Shikoku Research Institute Incorporated , Takamatsu , Kagawa , Japan In an effort to level electricity demand between day and night, we have carried out research activities on a high-temperature superconducting flywheel energy storage system (an SFES) that can regulate rotary energy stored in the flywheel in a noncontact, low-loss condition using superconductor assemblies for a magnetic bearing. These studies are being conducted under a Japanese national project (sponsored by the Agency of Industrial Science and Technology - a unit of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry - and the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization). Phase 1 of the project was carried out on a five-year plan beginning in fiscal 1995 with the participation of 10 interested companies, including Shikoku Research Institute Inc. During the five-year period, we carried out two major studies - one on the operation of a small flywheel system (built as a small-scale model) and the other on superconducting magnetic bearings as an elemental technology for a 10-kWh energy storage system. Of the results achieved in Phase 1 of the project (from October 1995 through March 2000), this paper gives an outline of the small flywheel system (having an energy storage capacity of 0.5 kWh) and reports on progress in the development of magnetic bearings using superconductor assemblies (which we call "superconducting magnetic bearings" or "SMBs"). 1. Small-Scale Model 1.1. System Configuration The small-scale model was built in 1998 mainly for the purpose of demonstrating a control technology for high-speed operation of a rotor levitated in a noncontact condition by a superconducting magnetic bearing.
    [Show full text]
  • Notice of Series N700 Shinkansen Train Bogie Frames Matter
    Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. February 28, 2018 Notice of Series N700 Shinkansen Train Bogie Frames matter Kawasaki hereby reports on the above matter, as described in the attached documents. It is still not clear how far this matter will affect business performance; however, should matters requiring disclosure be identified, you will be notified promptly. February 28, 2018 Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. Series N700 Shinkansen Train Bogie Frames With reference to the crack (structural failure) of the bogie (or truck) frame (hereinafter referred to as the “Failed Bogie Frame”) of series N700 Shinkansen train owned by West Japan Railway Company (hereinafter referred as "JR West") occurred at Nagoya Station on 11 December 2017, we, as the manufacturer of the Failed Bogie Frame, hereby express our sincere apology for inconvenience and concern caused to passengers of Tokaido-Sanyo Shinkansen, JR West, Central Japan Railway Company (hereinafter referred to as “JR Central”) and any other related party. While the Japan Transport Safety Board (hereinafter referred to as “JTSB”) is currently conducting dedicated investigations into a root cause of the crack of the Failed Bogie Frame, we hereunder report what has been revealed in the investigation until now and our remedial actions to be taken. 1. Results of the investigation of the Failed Bogie Frame and defects during manufacturing process We manufactured the Failed Bogie Frame in February 2007 at Kawasaki’s Rolling Stock Company Hyogo Works, and the followings have been revealed in the investigation until now. (1) Although the bottom plate of the side frame of the bogie frame of series N700 Shinkansen train should be 8mm thick the design specifications (more than 7mm post-processing), it is 4.7mm at the thinnest location.
    [Show full text]