Zero friction..

[florinyes]

hi guys

just seen this and I tought you'll enjoy it too

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TeS_U9qFg7Y]YouTube - IFW-Dresden Superconducting Maglev Train Models[/ame]

[rauleo88]

it was very impressive, some time this will come to the real world.

[Cronus]

The UK had a maglev line in the mid 80's...

It linked two terminals at Birmingham airport, about 400 metres long and a top speed of about 10mph.

[daithi]

thats cool but theres no such thing as zero friction i thought

[chroma]

thats cool but theres no such thing as zero friction i thought

There is, only in a lab though, in the real world you've got friction from gasses and particulates.
Then there are other forces like gravity, electromagnetic radiation and the like to consider.

Its very cool but the scale of the power source to keep the superconductor cooled to a sufficient level makes it less practical than other technologies.

Then there's the rails themselves to consider, bolting large permanent magnets on a scale that size would be absurd, so the only other option is electromagnets... which also use a stupid amount of power.

Then there's the propulsion system, this also uses up vast amounts of power, however you can offset that by knocking up a turbine system that doubles as a refrigerant, taking hot air from liquid helium radiators and using it as thrust, cold air in he intake manifolds and red hot out the exhausts.

Its a nice concept but hardly one that's ever likely to be practical.