General Atomics has engineered an innovative transportation technology that uses permanent magnets on the vehicle and a linear synchronous motor on the guideway to levitate the vehicle without the need for on-board power equipment, engines, or fuel.
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Passive Maglev
- Vehicles magnetically levitated above specially built guideways
- Clean, efficient, quiet - and very high speeds are possible
- Applicable to passenger and cargo transport
Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM)
- Provides forward propulsion in most maglev systems
- Basic technologies used in operational transportation
- systems
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Chassis Assembly
- Magnet modules are mounted to the chassis supports
No active power system on vehicle − only permanent magnets
- Lighter, cheaper, more efficient vehicle design
- Lighter, cheaper, and less intrusive guideway tracks
Magnet blocks
- Neodymium Iron Boron (NdFeB)
- Divided into subassemblies
- Loaded into the magnet modules
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Halbach Array magnet configuration adds to benefits
- Increased magnetic field strength
- Very low magnetic fields in passenger compartments and near stations (well below allowable standards)
- Larger air-gap for less expensive guideway construction
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Guideway Modules
- Linear Synchronous Motor (LSM)
- Levitation Track
- High Speed Turns (144 km/hr, 90 mph)
- 800 meter minimum turn radius
- 11.5 Cant Angle
- Steel Fiber Reinforce Concrete (SFRC)
- Future Concept: Hybrid Guideway Girder
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