Maglev Goes to Work

Abstract

This article discusses various features of a mixer that proves to be advantageous for pharmaceutical market. Central Japan Railway Co. has tested the first-ever maglev train using high-temperature superconductors; the technology that is still a long way from practical commercialization. Instead, LevTech Inc., a Lexington, Ky., startup is using yttrium-barium-copper oxide superconductors to suspend impellers in mixers and pumps for the bioprocessing and pharmaceutical industry. The LevTech mixer's cassette holds six superconducting magnets, which suspend and lock into place an impeller that can be isolated in a pre-sterilized mixing bag. Rotating the cassette turns the impeller, which stirs the biochemicals inside the sealed bag. According to JR Central, superconductors have certain advantages over conventional electromagnets. First, they are much lighter. This improves railcar acceleration, speed, and payload; they also use less energy and more importantly, though, their 1 Tesla magnetic fields can lift a train 3 to 4 inches off the track, compared to 0.3 to 0.4 inch achieved with ordinary electromagnets.