Heat load tests of superconducting magnets vibrated electromagnetically for the Maglev train

Abstract

Superconducting magnets on Maglev trains vibrate due to harmonic ripples of electromagnetic flux generated by ground coils. Heat load caused by vibration in the magnet amounted to several tens of watts in the electromagnetic vibration test. This was mainly because a.c. loss was induced in the helium vessel housing the superconducting coil, due to relative vibration between the aluminium thermal shield and the coil. The heat load caused by vibration should be strictly restricted to less than 4W due to limited cryogenic refrigeration capacity. The heat load was tested using electromagnetic flux ripples for a superconducting magnet model of one coil which corresponds to 1 4 of an actual magnet. The flux ripples simulated the 6th harmonic of the actual ground levitation coil. Some ideas to reduce the heat load were tried for the magnet model, such as applying high resistance thermal radiation shielding, increasing rigidity of the vacuum vessel, and using high purity copper plating on the helium vessel. These ideas proved effective, and the maximum heat load due to vibration was held to less than 4 W per magnet for the one coil magnet model.