A Hybrid High-Tc Superconducting Magnetic Levitation Sculpture Model

Different from other applications, this paper explores how to use the stable high-Tc superconducting (HTS) magnetic levitation (maglev) to lift the sculpture art to a high levitation position for satisfying the artists requirement for the light artistic concept. With a combination of the permanent magnet (PM) levitation and HTS maglev technologies, a sculpture model was built to sustain a stable levitation with a levitation height of over 80 mm. In this hybrid HTS maglev sculpture model, three PM rings are arranged as upper, middle, and bottom as a double-layer axial levitation structure; six rectangular YBaCuO bulks are fixed along the side of the PM rings upper-layer as a stabilizer component along the radial direction. When the bottom PM ring was driven up by the lifting bolt, the upper PM ring, which was fixed with the art, can be lifted much higher. Then the required artistic effect will be enhanced. After the model was designed and optimized by finite element method, it was experimentally validated by the HTS maglev measurement system. This levitation design is helpful to the realization of a real-scale levitation sculpture art, and can also provide references to superconducting radial magnetic bearing systems.