4.4 HTS Maglev Ë 97the PM was observed by Peter et al. [10] Brandt [11] demonstrated that the HTS bulk
magnetic levitation could be stable without any active control.
In 1997, a cooperative project between China and Germany developed a small
HTS Maglev model of 20 kg with a levitation gap of 7 mm [66]. International rese-
arch interest in a manned HTS Maglev vehicle was aroused after the first manned
HTS Maglev test vehicle in the world, “Century”, was demonstrated in the Applied
Superconductivity Laboratory (ASCLab) of Southwest Jiaotong University at 2:26 pm
on December 31, 2000 [13]. The second and third manned HTS Maglev vehicles were
developed in Germany [67] and Russia [68] in 2004. A full-scale HTS Maglev train as a
substitute for an urban light track train is under development in Brazil [69, 70]. In
March, 2013, a 45-m-long HTS Maglev ring test line was successfully developed by
ASCLab [71]. Moreover, research groups in Japan [72] and Italy [73] have also developed
HTS Maglev prototypes.
The HTS Maglev can be widely used in construction of practical Maglev trains,
Maglev launch systems, frictionless bearings, non-contact spinners, Maglev flywheel
energy storage devices, motors, generators, contact-less liquid pumps, etc [26].
- HTS Maglev train (see chapters 6 and 8): As mentioned earlier, the principle of
the HTS Maglev train is completely different from the normal conductive (non-
superconducting) train in Germany and the LTS Maglev train in Japan. The HTS
Maglev train is a self-stable Maglev, economical in terms of energy consumption
(1/20th of an aircraft), environmentally friendly (no chemical or noise pollution),
which can achieve ultra-high speed (thousands of kilometers per hour), and it is
a safe and comfortable form of ground transportation. - HTS Maglev bearings (see chapter 9): The friction coefficients of a mechanical
bearing, an active Maglev bearing, and a HTS Maglev bearing, are 10−^3 , 10−^4 ,
and 10−^7 , respectively. Thus, the friction coefficient of HTS Maglev bearings is
thousands of times lower than that of conventional bearings. HTS Maglev bearings
can be used in high-speed or ultra-high-speed rotating systems. - HTS Maglev FESS (flywheel energy storage system) (see chapter 9): FESS can store
both electrical and mechanical energy. It can directly store mechanical energy
without any energy conversion loss, and mechanical energy storage efficiency
is 10 times higher than that of a traditional storage system. Energy density has
reached 230 Wh/kg. In 5 years, it would reach 2700 Wh/kg, which is three times
higher than that of the hydrogen fuel cell. - HTS Maglev launch system (inexpensive reusable cold launch system) (see
chapter 10): The reusable cold launch system has no ignition or explosion and can
be used repeatedly. It has many advantages: does not emit noise or pollution, has
all-electric control, mobile, reusable, etc. A HTS Maglev rocket is only 20% of the
weight of a conventional propellant rocket; thus, the cost of the space launch can
be greatly reduced. With no fuel on the vehicle, super-high speed can be achieved
with only 200-kW power. The launch cost can be reduced from $10,000 to $1000