Simulation and experiment research on the dynamic levitation force of bulk superconductors under a varying external magnetic field

In practical high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev systems, it was found that the levitation force of the onboard bulk superconductors may attenuate gradually under the inhomogeneous magnetic field. The corresponding phenomenon is that the levitation height will decay in the macroscopic and affects the long-term stability of the maglev vehicle. Thus, it is of great significance to study the dynamic levitation force of bulk superconductors under a varying external magnetic field and lay a foundation for the moderate and high-speed HTS maglev system application. In this paper, first, an experiment related to the dynamic levitation performance of YBCO bulks is carried out with a self-developed HTS maglev dynamic measurement system for the investigation of force attenuation. Then, a corresponding two-dimensional simulation model based on the finite element software of COMSOL Multiphysics 5.3 is built to research the dynamic levitation force of bulk superconductors moving above a nonuniform magnetic field. In the simulation, the electromagnetic properties are calculated using the H-formulation, and the moving mesh is employed to implement the relative movement between the bulk superconductors and permanent magnets. The experiment process is repeated in the simulation model, and the simulation results agree with the experimental results.