Sub-Sonic Linear Synchronous Motors Using Superconducting Magnets for the Hyperloop

Sub-sonic linear synchronous motors (LSMs) with high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets, which aim to accelerate to a velocity of 1200 km/h in the near-vacuum tubes of 0.001 atm for the Hyperloop, are newly introduced in this paper. By the virtue of the combination of LSMs and electrodynamic suspensions (EDSs) with HTS magnets, a large air-gap of 24 cm, low magnetic resistance forces of below 2 kN, and the efficient as well as practical design of propulsion power supply systems of around 10 MVA could be guaranteed at a sub-sonic velocity. The characteristics of the proposed LSMs with HTS magnets, in addition, are widely analyzed with theories and simulation results. Optimal design methods for LSMs and inverters, which account for more than half of the total construction cost, are introduced with design guidelines and examples for the commercialization version of the Hyperloop. At the end of the paper, in order to verify the proposed design models of the sub-sonic LSMs, two different test-beds-i.e., 6 m long static and 20 m long dynamic propulsion test-beds-are fabricated, and it is found that the experimental results are well matched with proposed design models as well as simulation results; therefore, the design methods constitute guidelines for the design of sub-sonic LSMs for the Hyperloop.