Hyperloop is an innovative high-speed transportation concept in which pods travel at up to 760 mph through a near-vacuum tunnel. To reach those speeds, the pod must eliminate nearly all friction with the track, which is achieved through magnetic levitation (maglev).
One method of integrating maglev technology is electromagnetic suspension (EMS). With EMS, electromagnets on the pod produce an attractive force to a magnetized material on the track, lifting the vehicle off the surface entirely. UC Irvine's Hyperloop student team, HyperXite, needs to demonstrate that this technology works at a small scale before it can be integrated into a full-size pod. Without a working levitation prototype, the team has no way to validate their design choices, test their control systems, or demonstrate the concept to advisors and sponsors.
This project matters because magnetic levitation is the key to making Hyperloop viable. It's what separates it from conventional high-speed rail. By eliminating the friction between the pod and track, the system becomes dramatically more energy efficient and capable of reaching speeds no wheeled vehicle can match. The work done here directly informs how future HyperXite pods will be designed and built.
The results of this project will directly inform the HyperXite 12 Levitation Subteam, which will use this project's hardware and findings to guide its full-scale development. Additionally, faculty, researchers, and eventually the public may benefit from advances in sustainable, high-speed transportation.
The EMS Levitation Model and the Levitation team were able to successfully achieve electromagnetic levitation, being the 2nd ever collegiate Hyperloop team to do so.