Affordable construction costs
The first of its kind fully operational, magnetically levitated container freight transport demonstration system for ports, intermodal facilities and freight corridors is being constructed at our facilities in Port Angeles, Washington for an affordably low price of $6.5 million per lane mile. This next generation transport system eliminates the need for expensive wayside power equipment and electrical connections to the guideway or vehicles. The demonstration, largely constructed with steel and concrete, was engineered to meet earthquake zone 4 requirements..
Passive components reduce maintenance costs
The patented LEVX® technology replaces complex, energy intensive systems with simple mechanical devices. Guideway rails are passive, carrying no electrical current and generating no heat, eliminating common maintenance requirements. Self-supporting LEVX® carriages also require no outside energy transfer through maintenance intensive pantograph-catenary or electrified "third rail" connections.
Limited control systems
No sensors or control systems are required for the magnetic suspension or guidance systems which operate within constant mechanical parameters. LEVX® systems may be fully automated or designed to accommodate on board operators. Automation systems focus on "local" (within the carriage) controls with "global" (at a remote location) management focused on overall system monitoring. Local control systems simplify automation and generally reduce system costs.
Efficient operations
Proprietary cornering enhancements that make for tight turning radii allow LEVX® guideways to follow existing right of ways lowering project procurement cost. LEVX® carriages may operate independently or with two or more carriages ganged together. The ability to vary carriages operating configurations allow system operators to optimize their efficiency by more closely matching capacity with demand throughout daily cycles and reduce unnecessary operating costs.
" I can't image the revolutionary ideas that will come from this. And it appears that the costs would be a lot less. There would be no pollution, there would be no noise. "
Lynn Kessler, Washington State Representative
At $6.5 million per lane mile (or $13 million for a bi-directional system) the first of its kind fully operational, magnetically levitated container freight transport demonstration being built in Port Angeles, Washington uses common materials and construction methods to help lower costs.
Frictionless operations reduce wear and maintenance
Weight bearing wheels that traditionally provide both support and transmit driving forces from the vehicle to the roadway have been replaced by LEVX® proprietary non-contact suspension, propulsion and braking technologies. The use of permanent magnets in LEVX® technologies eliminates friction between key system components to minimize wearing parts and costly maintenance requirements.
What are Permanent Magnets?
A permanent magnet is an object made from a material that is magnetized to create its own continuous magnetic field. A good permanent magnet should produce a high magnetic field with a low mass, and should be stable against the influences which would demagnetize it. Permanent magnets do not require an electrical current to make them work.
What are Rare-Earth Magnets?
Rare-earth magnets are strong permanent magnets made from alloys of rare earth elements. Developed in the 1970s and 80s, rare-earth magnets are the strongest type of permanent magnets made and have significant performance advantages over ferrite or alnico magnets. The term "rare earth" can be misleading as these metals are not particularly rare or precious;they are about as abundant as tin or lead.
What are Electromagnetic Pros & Cons?
An electromagnet is a type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by the flow of electric current. The magnetic field disappears when the current is turned off. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) are being studied for their negative health effects.
The main advantage of an electromagnet over a permanent magnet is that the magnetic field can be rapidly manipulated over a wide range by controlling the amount of electric current. However, a continuous supply of electrical energy and a complex system of sensors and controls are required to utilize the electromagnetic field. Outdated Electromagnetic Levitation for transportation systems is expensive to build, with energy supplies alone costing upwards of 20 million dollars per mile.
What is a Superconducting Electromagnet?
A superconductor is an electromagnet made from coils of superconducting wire cooled with liquid nitrogen to cryogenic temperatures (below −150 °C, −238 °F or 123 K) during operation. In its superconducting state the wire can conduct much larger electric currents than ordinary wire, creating intense magnetic fields. Superconducting magnets can produce greater magnetic fields than all but the strongest electromagnets and can be cheaper to operate because no energy is dissipated as heat in the windings. However, cryogenic cooling is expensive and requires constant maintenance. Making real-world transportation applications using superconductivity impractical.
What is a Pantograph-Catenary?
The devices used to transmit electrical energy from overhead lines or overhead wires to trams, trolleybuses or trains at a distance from the energy supply point. These overhead lines are known variously as:
• Overhead contact system (OCS)
• Overhead line equipment (OLE or OHLE)
• Overhead equipment (OHE)
• Overhead wiring (OHW)
Overhead line is designed on the principle of one or more overhead wires or rails (particularly in tunnels) situated over rail tracks, raised to a high electrical potential by connection to feeder stations at regular intervals. The feeder stations are usually fed from a high-voltage electrical grid.
What are Electrified Third Rails?
A third rail is a method of providing electric power to a railway train, through a semi-continuous rigid conductor placed alongside or between the rails of a railway track. It is used typically in a mass transit or rapid transit system, which has alignments in its own corridors, fully or almost fully segregated from the outside environment. In most cases, third rail systems supply direct current electricity.
How is LEVX® Different?
LEVX® Transportation Systems require minimal energy that may be easily supplied by on-board sources, eliminating the cost and maintenance associated with outdated pantograph-catenary or third rail connections.
What is Magnetic Levitation?
Magnetic levitation, maglev (or mag lev), or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields. Magnetic levitation is used for maglev trains, magnetic bearings and wind turbines.
LEVX® uses strong rare-earth permanet magnets for maximum levitation. Permanent magnets are preferred for their strength and stability, require no maintenance, electrical current, sensors or controls.
What are Permanent Magnets?
A permanent magnet is an object made from a material that is magnetized to create its own continuous magnetic field. A good permanent magnet should produce a high magnetic field with a low mass, and should be stable against the influences which would demagnetize it. Permanent magnets do not require an electrical current to make them work.
What are Rare-Earth Magnets?
Rare-earth magnets are strong permanent magnets made from alloys of rare earth elements. Developed in the 1970s and 80s, rare-earth magnets are the strongest type of permanent magnets made and have significant performance advantages over ferrite or alnico magnets. The term "rare earth" can be misleading as these metals are not particularly rare or precious;they are about as abundant as tin or lead.
What are Electromagnetic Pros & Cons?
An electromagnet is a type of magnet in which the magnetic field is produced by the flow of electric current. The magnetic field disappears when the current is turned off. Electromagnetic Fields (EMF) are being studied for their negative health effects.
The main advantage of an electromagnet over a permanent magnet is that the magnetic field can be rapidly manipulated over a wide range by controlling the amount of electric current. However, a continuous supply of electrical energy and a complex system of sensors and controls are required to utilize the electromagnetic field. Outdated Electromagnetic Levitation for transportation systems is expensive to build, with energy supplies alone costing upwards of 20 million dollars per mile.
What is a Superconducting Electromagnet?
A superconductor is an electromagnet made from coils of superconducting wire cooled with liquid nitrogen to cryogenic temperatures (below −150 °C, −238 °F or 123 K) during operation. In its superconducting state the wire can conduct much larger electric currents than ordinary wire, creating intense magnetic fields. Superconducting magnets can produce greater magnetic fields than all but the strongest electromagnets and can be cheaper to operate because no energy is dissipated as heat in the windings. However, cryogenic cooling is expensive and requires constant maintenance. Making real-world transportation applications using superconductivity impractical.
What is a Linear Motor?
A linear motor is an electric motor that has had its stator and rotor "unrolled" so that instead of producing a torque (rotation) it produces a linear force along its length. The most common mode of operation is as a Lorentz-type actuator, in which the applied force is linearly proportional to the current and the magnetic field.
What is a Linear Induction Motor?
The Linear Induction Motor use electrical current to create a moving electromagnetic field that works in conjunction with a copper or aluminum plate.
What is a Linear Synchronous Motor?
In Linear Synchronous Motors the copper or aluminum (used in linear induction motors) is replaced by permanent or electromagnets which are attracted to or repelled by an electrically generated magnetic field. In either case, electrical energy creates the driving and braking forces.
How is LEVX® Different?
We have developed our own proprietary linear drive for use in LEVX®. Magnetic discs rotate near an aluminum linear reaction rail mounted in the guideway. The rotation of the magnetic discs produces a powerful forward or backward force against the aluminum reaction rail moving the carriage along the passive magnetic guideway. These highly efficient magnetic forces are generated by the relative motion between the magnetic discs and the linear reaction rail. Safely creating eddy currents rather than electromagnetic currents. Carriage speed and direction are controlled by simply adjusting the speed and direction of rotation of the magnetic discs. Powerful non-contact primary braking forces are generated by stopping or reversing the direction of rotation of the magnetic discs. The energy required for propulsion and braking is just what is needed to rotate the magnetic discs.
At $6.5 million per lane mile (or $13 million for a bi-directional system) the first of its kind fully operational, 
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