Chinese maglev train sprints to 650 km/h in 7 seconds
New technology in maglev trains ensures high acceleration and top speed. However, the cost of building the lines remains high.
The test vehicle at the start on the high-speed test track.
(Image: CGTN (Screenshot))
A prototype maglev train in China has set a new sprint record. This was reported by the Chinese state broadcaster CTNG on Wednesday. The 1.1 t test vehicle, developed by the Innovation Center for Electromagnetic Drive Technology for High-Speed Maglev Trains, accelerated to a speed of 650 km/h within seven seconds on a 600 m long track.
The record run was set on the 1 km long test track with tunnel system of the Donghu laboratory in the Chinese province of Hubei. The fast sprint to 650 km/h was made possible by a powerful linear motor and magnetic levitation. The vehicle is lifted by an electrically generated magnetic force by a repulsion of like poles and floats on a guide rail. As there is no mechanical contact with the rail and therefore no friction, the vehicle only has to fight against air resistance. This makes extreme acceleration possible. In addition, a short braking distance of just 200 m can be achieved thanks to the technology and a control system that can determine the position of the vehicle with an accuracy of 4 mm.
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Li Weichao, Director of the Innovation Center, says that the test levitation train has reached the highest speed ever achieved on such a short track. However, the potential of the test track has not yet been exhausted. Up to 800 km/h could be achieved on the track. The track still needs to be upgraded. This should be completed by 2025, they say.
Normally, test tracks for high-speed trains are rather long to be able to test acceleration to maximum speed, traveling a certain distance and braking in one go. In contrast, the Chinese innovation center takes a different approach: it relies on electronic drives with variable frequency, special aerodynamic components and a sensor system that allows the position to be determined with millimeter precision. This makes it possible to carry out the complete high-speed tests on a track just 1 km long.
China leads the way in maglev trains
China is now a leader in maglev technology. In 2004, China officially put the Shanghai Maglev Train into operation, a magnetic levitation train that connects the city of Shanghai with Pudong Airport over a distance of 30 km. The train reaches a speed of 430 km/h.
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China took the technology for this from Germany's Transrapid and developed it further. In Germany, the technology for high-speed maglev trains was developed by Siemens and ThyssenKrupp and tested on a test track. However, it was never used commercially in Germany.
In China, various companies are working on maglev technology, including high-temperature superconductivity and low-vacuum tubes. The latter should enable a travel speed of up to 1000 km/h. For now, the innovation center is aiming for a maximum travel speed of 800 km/h. However, the construction of the necessary commercial lines is still very expensive, meaning that the technology has so far only been used over short distances.
(olb)
