Theoretical Hints for Optimizing Force and Stability in Actual Maglev Devices

It is well known that the levitation force and stability of superconducting levitation devices are strongly dependent on the properties of its components, such as the geometry, dimensions, cooling process or critical-current density of the superconductor. In this work we study these dependences in levitating systems consisting of a superconductor and a permanent-magnet guideway with translational symmetry. Using a model based on the critical-state approximation and a magnetic-energy minimization procedure, we analyse for the field and zero-field cooling cases, the influence of some parameters of the system, such as the width and the critical-current density of the superconductor and the height of the permanent magnets, on the levitation force and stability. From the calculated results we provide hints of how, by modifying some features of the systems, one can optimize either the levitation force, or the stability, or a combination of both.