In order to improve the cost performance of the present high-Tc superconducting (HTS) Maglev vehicle system for practical application, the multi-pole permanent magnet guideway (PMG) concept was introduced. A well-known double-pole Halbach PMG was chosen as a representative of multi-pole PMGs to compare with traditional monopole PMGs from the point of view of levitation efficiency and cost. Experimental results show that YBCO bulks above the double-pole Halbach PMG can exhibit better load capability and guidance performance as well as dynamics stability at the applied working height between the bulk HTSC and the PMG due to a more reasonable magnetic field distribution at the working range of bulk HTSC. Furthermore, the double-pole PMG configuration can play a more important role in improving guidance performance due to the potential-well field configuration. By comparing with former ‘century’ PMGs, the double-pole Halbach PMG shows another remarkable advantage in reducing the cost of levitation. As another necessary issue, magnetic field homogeneity and the corresponding magnetic drag force of a double-pole Halbach PMG has been considered by experiment in spite of the above highlights. Synthetically, the multi-pole Halbach PMG design is concluded to be one important choice for future HTS Maglev vehicle applications because of its high efficiency and low cost.

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In order to design high temperature superconducting (HTS) Maglev launch system, three NdFeB permanent magnetic guideways (PMGs) are investigated and compared for the better levitation forces and guidance forces. The laboratory-scale HTS Maglev launch system was designed and developed successfully in the Applied Superconductivity Laboratory (ASCLab), Southwest Jiaotong University, China. The cooling process of the melt-textured YBaCuO bulk superconductors is made in a big low temperature tube, which is connected with PMG. The method merit is to eliminate fluctuation of liquid nitrogen in the operation test. The longitudinal slopes of the PM guideway are designed with 0-30 degree from the horizontal, and transverse slopes is designed with 15 degree from the horizontal. The HTS Maglev launch system is carried out an experiment in the laboratory. Test results indicate design validity of the HTS Maglev launch system. Index Terms-High temperature superconductors, launch, levitation force, Maglev, vehicle.