LAUSR

Abstract In our study as different from the literature, the magnetic levitation force between a bulk MgB2 and two different permanent magnetic guideway (PMG) arrangements, which are Halbach and Conventional PMGs, were investigated in different cooling heights (CHs) and Field-Cooled (FC) condition at the temperatures of 37 K and 33 K. The cylindrical bulk MgB2 superconductor was fabricated by in-situ solid state reaction process with the diameter of 18 mm and the height of 5 mm. The XRD data indicates well developed MgB2 phase and the Jc value was obtained as 68 kA/cm2 at 30 K in the self-field. Experimental results show that MgB2 bulk above the Halbach PMG can exhibit better load capability at all the cooling heights between the bulk MgB2 and the PMG due to a more suitable magnetic field distribution. The maximum levitation force for Halbach PMG corresponds to 16.86 N whereas the conventional PMG shows 9.02 N at 37 K in cooling height of 77 mm. Additionally, the maximum levitation force increases while the CH increases because flux exclusion is more effective for larger CHs. It is considered that the experimental results obtained in study are very useful for future Maglev applications, because there are limited number of studies on magnetic levitation force of MgB2 bulk for different MgB2-PMG arrangements.