The Maglev-Cobra Project: from Incubator to Industry

Authors

Keywords:

Levitação magnética, Mobilidade Urbana, Industrialização, Inovação tecnológica

Abstract

More than 80% of the Brazilian population lives in cities. As a response to the serious
problem of urban mobility, UFRJ developed the MagLev-Cobra, a vehicle that uses
the magnetic levitation (MagLev) method based on superconductors of high critical
temperature and rare earth magnets, made possible at the end of XX century and
early XXI century. The article presents the essential elements for the understanding
of the system, comparing it with other alternatives of urban transportation and with
other techniques of magnetic levitation. Numerous opportunities for innovation and
technological growth are offered. The proposal respects the precepts of sustainable
transportation, without the emission of polluting gases and noise, less energy
consumption and operational cost, in addition to a strong futuristic visual appeal. The
passage of the MagLev-Cobra project through the four evolutionary stages (proof of
concept, functional prototype, operational prototype and industrialization), framed in
the TRL (Technology Readiness Level) scale proposed by NASA, is detailed. The
paper ends with a discussion on the paths for the establishment of a commercial
technological enterprise, the expected return to the society.

Author Biographies

Felipe dos Santos Costa, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Felipe Costa is a Mechanical Engineer, with a postgraduate degree in mechatronics, Master in Mechanical Engineering from UFRJ and a PhD student in engineering from COPPE UFRJ. He has been working since 2008 on the MagLev Cobra project.

Richard Stephan, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Richard Stephan, Graduated in Electrical Engineering from the Military Institute of Engineering, IME and PhD in Control Engineering from Ruhr Universität Bochum, RUB, Germany. Full professor of Electrical Machines at UFRJ, CNPq level 1A researcher.

Rogério Lacerda, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina

Rogério Lacerda is a professor at the Department of Administration Sciences at the Federal University of Santa Catarina (UFSC). He holds a PhD in Production Engineering, a degree in Business Administration and a postgraduate degree in Information Engineering. Post-doctorate from POLI / USP.

Elkin Ferney Rodriguez Velandia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

Elkin Ferney Rodriguez Velandia received the Dipl.-Eng. degree in Electronic Engineering from "Los Libertadores" University, Bogotá - Colombia. He received M.Sc. and D.Sc. degrees in Engineering at Fluminense Federal University - UFF, Nitéroi - Brazil. His research focused in the study of active magnetic levitation. The research emphasis was Active Magnetic Bearings and Self Bearing Motor. He held a postdoctoral position at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. During this time he conducted research on Passive Magnetic Bearings. Permanent magnets radial bearing and axial superconductor bearing were used to construct a passive magnetic bearing. He is now an associate professor at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. He is working on several researches about magnetic levitation systems with the use of superconductors, permanent magnets and electromagnets. The instrumentation, measurements and control are among the areas of interest.

RBT - Versão em português e inglês

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Published

2021-03-29

How to Cite

Costa, F. dos S., Stephan, R., Lacerda, R., & Ferney Rodriguez Velandia, E. (2021). The Maglev-Cobra Project: from Incubator to Industry. Brazilian Journal of Transport, 1(1). Retrieved from https://bibliotecadigital.fgv.br/ojs/index.php/rbt/article/view/83066

Issue

Vol. 1 No. 1 (2021): Brazilian Transport Journal

Section

Invited Paper