MAGNETIC SHIELDING OF LSM AND EDS MODULES

MAGNETIC LEVITATION (MAGLEV) TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS DEPEND ON MAGNETS OF INTENSE FLUX DENSITITES FOR PROPULSION, LEVITATION AND GUIDANCE. THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS REGARDING POSSIBLE PHYSIOLOGICAL, LEVITATION AND GUIDANCE. THERE ARE SOME CONCERNS REGARDING POSSIBLE PHYSIOLOGICAL DAMAGE TO HUMAN BEINGS EXPOSED TO HIGH MAGNETIC FIELDS. CONSEQUENTLY, THE ABILITY TO SHIELD MAGLEV MAGNET FIELSD FROM PASSENGERS AND BYSTANDERS MAY BE AN ENABLING TECHNOLOGY FOR ITS EVENTUAL DEPLOYMENT. LINEAR SYNCHRONOUS MOTORS (LSM) AND ELECTRODYNAMIC SYSTEMS (EDS) FEATURING REPULSIVE LEVITATION AND GUIDANCE PRESENT MAGNETIC FIELD SHIELDING PROBLEMS. TO BE MOST EFFECTIVE, SHIELDING SOLUTIONS SHOULD BE PART OF THE LSM AND EDS MODULE DESIGN, AS OPPOSED TO "ADD-ON" DEVICES. THIS PROJECT HAS THE OBJECTIVE OF PROVIDING CONCEPTS FOR A TYPICAL LSM AND EDS MODULE, GIVEN THE DESIRED SYSTEM-LEVEL REQUIREMENT FOR STRAY MAGNETIC FIELD WHICH MAY BE APPLICABLE TO ANY MAGLEV SYSTEM. THE RESEARCH WILL ENCOMPASS THE DEFINITION OF A TYPICAL LSM AND EDS LEVITATION/GUIDANCE MODULE, THE TARGET STRAY MAGNETIC FIELDS REQUIRED FOR A MAGLEV VEHICLE, AND CONCEPTS FOR MODIFYING THE LSM AND EDS MODULE TO PROVIDE MAGNETIC SHEILDING WHILE MAINTAINING PERFORMANCE OF THE DEVICES. THE RESULTS ARE POTENTIALLY APPLICABLE TO THE DESIGN WORK DESCRIBED IN THE INTERMODAL SURFACE TRANSPORTATION EFFICIENCY ACT OF 1991, AS WELL AS TO ALL EDS MAGLEV SYSTEMS WITHLSM PROPULSION, IF AND WHEN THEY BECOME A REALITY.