Lateral-displacement influence on the levitation force in a superconducting system with translational symmetry

The unique properties of superconductors make the design of levitation devices possible. In some of them, lateral displacements of the superconducting levitating part often result in a decrease in the levitation force, which can cause a critical malfunction of the system. In this work, the authors theoretically analyze the levitation force of a system consisting of an infinitely long superconductor over an infinitely long permanent-magnet guideway using a realistic model based on a magnetic-energy minimization procedure, from which they give the physical keys for understanding the levitation force reduction after lateral displacements and how to minimize these effects. (c) 2008 American Institute of Physics.