Electromagnetic Levitation and Propulsion for Model Trains

Abstract

As transportation continues to develop and modernize, the evaluation of alternative and innovative systems will be essential to meet future mobility needs. Magnetic levitation (maglev) has been identified as a promising system for transportation, and its technology has been widely implemented in trains; applications of electromagnetic propulsion systems have been implemented in high-speed trains across Europe and Asia. This thesis provides a methodology for designing and building a magnetic train model. Using microcontrollers, transistors, and Time-of-Flight distance sensors, this model investigates how permanent magnets and electromagnetic coils can be coordinated to control the movement of a levitating train. Two design iterations were evaluated to achieve stable levitation and propulsion. The first utilized coils wound with 30 AWG magnet wire mounted on electromagnetic supports to stabilize the train along the track. Lateral stabilization of the train requires sufficient support from the bottom permanent magnets. This gauge wire emitted too much heat and was unable to provide sufficient force on the train to achieve stable levitation. A second iteration using 20 AWG magnet wire eliminated heat-related failures but was unable to produce enough force to achieve a stabilized system. Although a fully levitating prototype was not realized, the sensor and control system performed as intended; the Arduino reads the train's positional data and updates the electromagnet duty cycles in real time. These results highlight the primary limitations of electromagnets and validate the control approach. This report details the development of the train and track using CAD software, the design considerations involved in the construction of the physical and electrical systems of the model, and future work to achieve stable levitation.