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Preface
Author(s) -
Misra Madhukar
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
hemodialysis international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.658
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1542-4758
pISSN - 1492-7535
DOI - 10.1111/j.1542-4758.2007.00221.x
Subject(s) - citation , medicine , library science , gerontology , psychology , computer science
Magnetic levitation (suspension) for contactless operation has been in development as an alternative to wheel-on-rail systems since Graeminger first patented an electromagnetic suspension device in 1912. This led to a number of operational and experimental magnetic trains being constructed, for both lowand high-speed operations, which are currently in service or will be in several years. The well-known Transrapid, which runs at a maximum operating speed of 430 km/h, has been successfully operating without any operational problems since it was unveiled in 2004 in Shanghai, China, showing that electromagnetic suspension technology has in fact matured beyond expectations. The low-speed system using electromagnets, Linimo, also has been carrying 20,000 passengers per day in Nagoya, Japan, and has proven its advantages by offering a high level of reliability, considerable environmental appeal and lower maintenance costs. The Incheon International Airport Urban Maglev Demonstration Line in Korea and the Beijing and Changsa urban lines under construction in China will be opened in one or two years. On April 22, 2015, the Japanese superconducting magnet train L0 attained a running speed of 603 km/h, a record for any guided vehicle, and there are plans to operate this train over a route between Tokyo and Nagoya by 2027. These applications of magnetically levitated vehicles may prove that wheel-less transport could be a promising option as a new transportation mode in the future. On the other hand, as both the speed and the ride comfort performance of conventional wheel-on-rail vehicles have been considerably improved in recent years, the specific niche for magnetic vehicles in terms of speed as well as ride comfort is narrowing. It may be that magnetic vehicles are approaching a critical point that will determine their future viability. On the other hand, magnetic levitation technology is attracting strong interest for diverse applications in which the contact-free aspect is essential—examples include an extremely clean transfer system for LCDs and semiconductors, a rope-less elevator for skyscrapers and a hover board for entertainment purposes, and prototypes for these technologies have been demonstrated. With the rapidly increasing interest in its various forms and applications,