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Use of Magnetic Levitation For An Elevator

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Venkatesh Prasad
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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
1K views11 pages

Use of Magnetic Levitation For An Elevator

Uploaded by

Venkatesh Prasad
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Magnetic Levitation

objective: For the last 2500 years, the concept of


elevators has completely evolved in mechanics, while still
maintaining the key core concept of a lift. Magnetic
levitation is just a simple idea that was derived years ago.
Maglev technology has been applied to trains. I tested the
technology of magnetic levitation to move an elevator.I
predicted that if the number and strength of magnets is
increased, then the height of levitation of the elevator will
increase. I discovered that there is a direct relationship
between the strength of the magnet and the height of
levitation.
The concept of a conventional elevator relies heavily on
gears, motors, high-tension cables, and electromagnets.
The purpose is to coordinate all components to either raise
or lower the elevator that is attached to it. The gears act as
screws, do not move but only rotates on their axis. The
motors either power of alternating and/or direct current,
which propel the gears to function either in a negative or
positive direction. The tension cables pull the elevator up or
down.
Research
Electromagnetism is the production of a magnetic field
created through the electric current in a wire-round coil and
strengthened by a soft iron core. If the coil is wrapped
around a magnet, the structure is called a solenoid. The
current from a source directly correlates to the magnitude
of the magnetic field. The electromagnetism concept works
in a way of monitoring strength, as the current can be
changed to match any specific value, in order to indirectly
increase the field that it produces. The number of coil and
the space between the coils work in altering the magnetic
pole attraction patterns.
History of MagLev Technology:
The first beginnings of magnetic levitation go back to John
Mitchell in 1750, where he noticed two magnets repelling
when the same pole of each magnet was put together. In
1922, Hermann Kemper in Germany pioneered attractive-
mode (EMS) Maglev and received a patent for magnetic
levitation of trains in 1934. Soon, Maglev development in
the U.S. began as a result of the High-Speed Ground
Transportation (HSGT) Act of 1965. In the US, in 1966,
James Powell and Gordon Danby proposed the first
practical system for magnetically levitated transport, by
using superconducting magnets located on moving vehicles
to influence currents in normal aluminum loops on a
guideway. The moving vehicles were automatically
levitated and stabilized, both vertically and laterally, as they
moved along the guideway. The vehicles were magnetically
propelled along the guideway by a small AC current. In
2000, the Committee of the Ministry of Transport of Japan
concluded "MagLev has the practicability for ultra high
speed mass transportation system." In 2006, Chinese
developers unveiled the world’s first full-permanent
magnetic levitation (Maglev) wind power generator at the
Wind Power Asia Exhibition 2006 held June 28 in Beijing.
Maglev Elevators:
The basic difference between a mechanical elevator and a
MagLev elevator is that it is based on electromagnetic
suspension. There is one system of axial and circular coils
attached to the elevator in a magnetic field which
counteracts the effect of gravity, suspending the elevator.
The principle of the motion is that there will be
electromagnet coils on the undercarriage of the elevator
and also on the outer frame. These coils attract or repel
culminating in motion.The elevator also has buffer zones at
the bottom and the top which have a very high perpetual
repelling magnetic field thus ensuring the safety of the
elevator.
Advantages and Disadvantages of MagLev
Technology/Elevators:
Maglev elevators are a much better way to move people
around buildings than by normal elevators. It is cheaper,
faster, safer, quieter, and has a much longer service life.
There is less friction due to no contact between the pulley
and the suspension rope. Therefore higher speeds can be
attained, which is useful in tall skyscrapers. Maglev
guideways will last for much longer time with minimal
maintenance because there is no mechanical contact and
wear. Maglev technology is very energy efficient and it
consumes electricity. When they consume electricity, no
carbon dioxide is emitted. Also the power required for the
elevator would be reduced with the assistance of magnetic
levitation. Also the safety system using electric buffers will
be a failsafe. Such a design would be better suited to
electrical 21st century than a mechanical elevator.There
are some disadvantages with Maglev elevators. Guide
paths are bound to be more costly than conventional
guideways used by regular elevators but their cheaper
maintenance over time will pay for itself.

Problem
The problem I want to address is that normal elevators
require continuous inputs of large amounts of energy and
have high maintenance costs.
I attempt to solve this problem by using the technology of
magnetic levitation to move an elevator.
This would be more energy efficient and cheaper to use and
maintain.

Question
If I change the strength of magnets in order to levitate an
elevator, what will happen to the height of the elevator?

Materials:
• 5 Wood Blocks, 5/8” x 1 3/8” x 6”
• 2 Large High Force Magnet Strips, 1/2” x 23 1/2”
• 2 Small High Force Magnet Strips, 1/2” x 5 7/8”
• 2 Large Simple Magnets, 1 3/4” x 1”
• 10 Simple Latch Magnets, 3/4” x 1”
• 4 Plastic Angles
• 30ml Contact Cement
• 1 Wooden Base
• 1 Compass
• 1 Silicone Tube
• 1 Ruler
• 1 Hand Saw
• 1 Utility Knife
Procedure
1. Two wooden blocks were attached to each other on ends
with contact cement to make one side of the elevator track.
2. Step #1 was repeated with two other wooden blocks to
make the other side of the elevator track.
3. The four plastic angles were attached to the sides of the
elevator tracks, 5/8” away from each other.
4. The hand saw was then used to cut the last wooden block
in half and made into an elevator shaft.
5. The two large and the two small magnetic strips were cut
in half with the utility knife.
6. The compass was used to find the north and south poles
of the magnetic strips.
7. The four large magnetic strips, with the south pole down,
were then applied to the plastic angles, on both tracks, with
contact cement, 5/8” away from each other.
8. The four smaller magnet strips were attached to each
side of the elevator with the south side down, 5/8” away
from each other.
9. The elevator tracks were then attached vertically with
contact cement, to the wooden base close enough so that
the elevator could levitate.
10. Silicone was placed on each of the tracks for stability.
11. One small latch magnet was attached magnet to the
bottom of the elevator with the south side down.
12. One large magnet was attached to the base of he
elevator track with the south side down.
13. The elevator was then levitated in between the tracks.
14. The height of the elevator from the base magnet was
then measured.
15. Step #14 was then repeated using different sizes and
number of the magnets.

Observations
Conclusion
In conclusion, when I changed the number of magnets at
the base of the track, the levitation of the elevator shaft
changed.
I discovered that as I increased the number of magnets, the
height of levitation increased, showing a direct relationship
between the two variables.
For example, with one base magnet, the levitation height
was 1.7 cm. With two large and eight small magnets, the
levitation height reached to 6.0 cm.
Therefore, the data supports my prediction, and I accept my
hypothesis.
I think this happened because when the number of magnets
increased, the force of repulsion between the opposite
poles of the elevator magnet and the base magnet
increased. This lead to the higher height of levitation.
The elevator was more difficult to levitate than the train
because of the addition of force of gravity on the elevator
shaft. I overcame this by adding a much larger magnet at
the base of the track and a small magnet at the bottom of
the elevator.
I also tried to add another magnet on the top of the elevator
shaft and tried to pull it with a similar assembly on top. This
was attempted to make the elevator move up and down
using the force of attraction. This however was not possible
as the force of attraction was not as easy to measure. The
force of repulsion could be quantified by a scale but the
force of attraction cannot.

Bibliography
Sites
• http://www.askanexpert.com/
• http://www.virtualsciencefair.com/
• http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=ping-
pong+ball
Books
• Parker, Lewis. Simple Machines. United States of
America: Perfection Learning®, 2006.
• Williams, John. Machines. England: Wayland (Publishers)
Ltd, 1991.

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