Electromechanical Vibration Control of an HTS Maglev Engineering Prototype Using Electromagnetic Shunt Dampers

High-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev systems exhibit inherent advantages such as passive levitation and high stiffness; however, their low intrinsic damping makes them susceptible to vibration under external excitations. In particular, track irregularities and discrete electromagnetic forces from the permanent magnetic guideway (PMG) can induce significant vertical vibration responses, affecting system stability and ride quality. To address this issue, an electromagnetic shunt damper (EMSD) is proposed to enhance the damping performance of HTS maglev systems through electromechanical coupling. An engineering-scale HTS maglev prototype is adopted as the experimental platform. The working principle of EMSD is established, and its effectiveness is validated through on-site experiments. The results show that the root-mean-square (RMS) value of vertical acceleration at the levitation frame is reduced by approximately 30%, demonstrating significant vibration suppression capability. Furthermore, a coupled electromechanical simulation model is developed to investigate system performance under high-speed conditions. Simulation results indicate that EMSD effectively reduces levitation gap fluctuation and improves dynamic performance across a wide range of operating speeds. At 400 km/h, the levitation gap fluctuation is reduced by 24.5%, and similar trends are observed at higher speeds. Overall, the proposed EMSD provides an effective passive and non-contact solution for vibration suppression in HTS maglev systems, with promising potential for engineering applications in high-speed transportation.