Magnetic levitation self-regulating systems having enhanced stabilizational forces designated for immobile, or forward, or rotational motion and stable hovering of heavy masses (working bodies) in both gravity and weightlessness are proposed. This system includes a stator assembly and a levitator assembly. The stator assembly comprises split iron cores with air gaps between their core shoes fixed on a non-magnetic foundation and magnetic screens in the capacity of which serve superconductive, or permanent magnetic, or non-magnetic conductive strips. The levitator assembly comprises permanent magnets coupled together by non-magnetic couplers and disposed into the air gaps of the stator assembly. The levitator magnets are magnetized across the air gaps of the stator and generate the primary magnetic field, magnetizing the iron cores, which, in turn, create a secondary magnetic field. The magnetic screens change distribution of the primary and secondary magnetic fields in the air gaps. The resulting magnetic field creates a stabilizational forces providing a stable hovering of the levitator without any active control system and additional energy sources.

A superconducting electromagnet arrangement includes a high temperature superconducting (HTS) coil surrounding a multiple-pole iron core for levitating and propelling a MAGLEV transport vehicle along a guideway. The HTS coil operates in the DC mode at approximately liquid nitrogen temperature of 77 K to induce in the iron core magnetic forces of attraction to levitate the transport vehicle a desired distance above a set of guideway rails. A preferred embodiment includes a Bi 2223 HTS coil surrounding a C-shaped iron core. The coil is constructed from a layer of pancake coils, the windings of which are fabricated from short lengths of commercially available conductor tape. The field strength in the core and the windings of the HTS coil are respectively approximately 1.8 T and approximately 0.3 T. To ensure vehicle stability, control coils are placed around the core legs to maintain the desired air gap length. The control coils may be copper coils, or may themselves be HTS superconducting coils operating in the AC mode at 77 K (nominal). A variation of the preferred embodiment includes three HTS coils surrounding respectively the three legs of a W-shaped iron core.

An electromagnet for a MAGLEV system incorporates at least one superconducting coil, operating in AC mode, which surrounds a multiple-pole iron core and is constructed from a layer of epoxy-impregnated pancake coils assembled together along a common axis within a cryostat. The windings of each pancake coil may be constructed from predetermined lengths of Bi(2223) superconductor tape. The coil preferably operates at 77 K. but any temperature lying in a range of 5 K. to 80 K. may be used. Two- and six-pole/coil magnets operating in either AC or DC mode are specifically disclosed.

A linear synchronous motor for a high speed, ground transportation vehicle includes a linear stator assembly that is divided into sections. The stator assembly has an air gap and generates a magnetic field traveling wave therein from a constant frequency alternating current. The traveling wave has variable speeds and accelerations along different sections of the stator. A rotor assembly has a plurality of magnets forming at least one pole-pitch of a variable length. The rotor assembly is coupled to the vehicle and disposed in the air gap of the stator and runs laterally therewith, producing an attractive force between a magnetic field of the rotor and the traveling wave of the stator. The rotor has at least one magnet that includes an upper portion, a lower portion spaced apart from the upper portion, and a nonmagnetic coupler rigidly coupling the upper portion of the magnet to the lower portion. The magnetic field of the rotor propels the vehicle. The magnetic field of the rotor also generates a levitation force levitating the vehicle. A synchronizing unit is operatively associated with the rotor assembly to vary the length of the pole-pitch so that the pole-pitch length is substantially equal to one-half the length of the traveling wave at any given position along the linear stator assembly.

A linear synchronous motor for a high speed, ground transportation vehicle is provided. The motor includes a linear stator assembly that is divided into sections. The stator assembly has an air gap and generates a magnetic field traveling wave therein from a constant frequency alternating current. The traveling wave has variable speeds and accelerations along different sections of the stator. A rotor assembly has a plurality of magnets forming at least one pole-pitch of a variable length. The rotor assembly is coupled to the vehicle and disposed in the air gap of the stator and runs laterally therewith, producing an attractive force between a magnetic field of the rotor and the traveling wave of the stator. The magnetic field of the rotor propels the vehicle. The magnetic field of the rotor also generates a levitation force levitating the vehicle. A synchronizing unit is operatively associated with the rotor assembly to vary the length of the pole-pitch so that the pole-pitch length is substantially equal to one-half the length of the traveling wave at any given position along the linear stator assembly.