Magnetic levitation with superconductors

We developed this magnetically-levitated model train for an entrepreneurship course. Two yttrium barium copper oxide superconductors in the train repel the train away from a track made of rare earth magnets. The train contains a reservoir of liquid nitrogen to keep the superconductors cold. We made the plastic train body with a rapid prototyping machine and outfitted it with a rechargeable battery and a remote-controlled propeller.

The superconductors levitate because of the Meissner effect. Essentially, the superconductors create their own magnetic fields in an attempt to exactly cancel the field produced by the permanent magnets in the track. The result is that the superconductors behave as if they have magnets inside them, and these magnets are pushed away from the track magnets. This only works if the superconductors are cold, so the superconductors eventually heat up and fall down if they're not kept under liquid nitrogen.

Music: Boards of Canada - Roygbiv

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• high
• temperature
• superconductor
• magnetic
• levitation
• mag
• lev
• train
• liquid
• nitrogen
• magnet

[quwertyqwerty]

why dosent the magnet just slide off the track ? also do you use enhanced flux pinning?

[20eman]

@quwertyqwerty

Both the enhanced flux-pinning type and regular type superconductors follow the rails because the orientation of the magnets in the rails forms a "magnetic trough": the magnetic field strength is low in the center of the track and high at the edges. For the flux-pinning type, you can actually feel resistance if you grab it and try to move it sideways across the rails. The regular type will fly off the track if it goes too fast, however.

[wbaldwin100]

Great Video and Nice project. Where did you happen to get your superconductors from?

please answer.

[20eman]

@wbaldwin100

The supplier is called Colorado Superconductor Inc.

[lubanks]

How to do you have the magnets on the track orientated with respect to there poles? Also what do you have under them, is it more magnets?

[20eman]

@lubanks

As you move transversely across the track, the three rows of magnets are aligned so that North points up, South points up, and North points up. Under the magnets is a 1/4" thick piece of steel. The magnets are held in place by their magnetic attraction to the steel - otherwise, they would repel each other.

[egyptballer]

I have been doing quite alot of research into this and I was wondering if you could tell me if you put anything under the neodymium magnets such as flux trapping shims also have you considered putting any insulation around the superconductor in order to allow it to levitate longer?

[exkeyboardplaya504]

You guys are well on your way to becoming MULTI - BILLIONAIRES if you're there already. If you guys could get the backing from our government (yeah right), we sure could use what you've got here in the U.S.

BTW- Who's the artist behind that music and what's the name of that song? 

[MomoTheBellyDancer]

Boards Of Canada for the win!

And oh yeah, the superconducting floating thingie is nice too ;)

[TheShokwav]

theres no other metal that will provide superconductivity? magnesium? anything that doesnt require liquid nitrogen?

[N37BU6]

I'm watching this at my parents house... they thought it was porn.

[laidbckjim]

Love the design of this mag track! Are you using 3"x1/2"x1/4"(long) and

1/2"x1/2"x1/4" (short) neo mags? What are the exact measurements? Please respond to jalawt5424@go.minneapolis.edu

Thanks for your help:  MCTC Science Club

[brtos]

How much did those supeeconductors cost??? And what are the measurements of those superconductors in the train???

[quwertyqwerty]

@quwertyqwerty please reply