Characteristic Analysis of a Linear Induction Motor for 200-km/h Maglev

As a result of the current population concentrations in urban centers, demand for intercity transportation is increasing rapidly. Railway transportation is becoming popular as an intercity transportation because of its timely service, travel speeds and transport efficiency. Among the many railway systems, the innovative and environmentally friendly maglev system has been rated very highly as the next-generation intercity railway system. Linear induction motors are widely used for the propulsion of maglev trains because of their light weight and low construction costs. The urban maglev that was recently completed in Incheon airport site employs a 110km/h class linear induction motor. However, this system was designed to meet requirements for inner-city operations and is not suitable as an intercity transportation system, which requires medium to high speeds. Therefore, this study deals with the characteristics and designs of linear induction motors used for the propulsion of maglev trains that can be used as intercity trains. Rail car specifications for highspeed trains have been presented, and the characteristics of linear induction motors that can be used for the propulsion of these trains have been derived using the finite element method (FEM).