Magnetic Levitation Vehicle Decoupling Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing control devices for track-bound vehicles, such as magnetic levitation railways, face significant time delays in signal transmission and processing, leading to potential overriding of preselected target stopping points due to faulty drive and brake systems, requiring extended guideway sections for safety.
Innovation Solution
The device includes a travel computer and data carriers along the guideway that allow for immediate decoupling of the vehicle from the drive and brake system by switching off the carrying magnet when impermissible travel states are detected, ensuring safe stopping at preselected points without delay.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Extent of automation
If wireless signal transmission and processing is used for vehicle control, then the operation center can remotely control the vehicle, but significant time delays occur in signal transmission and processing
Solution Approach 1:
The control system is segmented into two independent parts: a travel computer in the operation center for high-level control decisions, and a monitoring device in the vehicle for immediate local response. This segmentation allows the monitoring device to act autonomously without waiting for wireless signals from the operation center, eliminating time delays for emergency responses while maintaining remote control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device acts as an intermediary between the vehicle's drive and brake system and the operation center. It continuously monitors travel status locally and can immediately switch off the drive system or activate brakes when impermissible states are detected, without requiring wireless communication with the operation center. This intermediary function resolves the time delay problem while preserving remote oversight.
2Manufacturing precision
If the drive and brake system is switched off immediately when impermissible travel status is detected, then the vehicle can stop at the preselected target stopping point, but the wireless signal transmission delay causes the vehicle to override the target stopping point
Solution Approach 1:
The monitoring device continuously monitors travel status parameters (position, speed, direction) in advance and compares them against predefined impermissible state criteria. When an impermissible state is detected, the system immediately switches off the drive system or activates brakes without waiting for wireless confirmation, ensuring the vehicle stops at or before the target stopping point despite any potential communication delays.
Solution Approach 2:
The monitoring device performs self-service by autonomously detecting impermissible travel states and immediately controlling the drive and brake systems without requiring external commands from the operation center. This self-service capability eliminates response time delays and ensures precise stopping at the target point, as the vehicle's own monitoring system takes direct action.
3Reliability
If a connecting guideway extension is provided downstream of the target stopping point, then the vehicle can safely stop without leaving the guideway, but the guideway length and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of extending the physical guideway infrastructure, the system uses a virtual safety mechanism through the monitoring device that provides equivalent protection without additional physical length. The monitoring device ensures the vehicle stops at or before the target point by immediately switching off the drive system or activating brakes, making the physical guideway extension unnecessary and reducing overall system complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution eliminates the need for lengthy guideway extensions by enabling immediate decoupling and safe stopping of the vehicle, preventing target point overrides and ensuring accurate stopping within designated zones.
Implementation Method 1
Alternating current windings are laid in these grooves and are fed with a three-phase current of a variable amplitude and frequency in order to generate a travelling wave advancing along the long-stator
Implementation Method 2
The excitation field is generated by carrying magnets arranged in the vehicle which apart from the carrying function, which causes the levitation, also provide the excitation field for the long-stator motor
Implementation Method 3
it is equipped with an additional brake in form of a gripper brake (DE 30 04 705 A1), an eddy-current brake or the like
Data Source
AI summary
A device for automatically controlling a track-bound vehicle, particularly a magnetic levitation vehicle is described. The device comprises a drive and brake system (4), an additional brake (9), a stationary mounted travel computer (5) and data carriers (10) arranged along the guideway for the supply of status signals in the form of location, speed or travel direction signals. In accordance with the invention the device also comprises means (12, 29) which are arranged for safely stopping and/or starting the vehicle at or from preselected target stopping points (15) within the stopping zones (A) and which are so configured that an immediate decoupling of the vehicle from the drive and brake system (4) is effected when an impermissible travel status within the area of a stopping zone (A) is reached (FIG. 1).