Using Levitation for Transportation

upper photo credit: China's 600kmph maglev, Qingdao, Shandong Province

Currently, the only significant use of levitation in transportation, are trains using magnetic levitation (maglev). There is scientific experimentation with electrostatic levitation and acoustic levitation; their low yields of levitation are unable to support a significant load. Other than experimental testing with ion propulsion, Earth’s atmosphere and its magnetic fields, are not currently explored for levitation with transportation considerations.



What is transportation levitation

There are many CATTCC blogposts about levitation. In the blogpost, Levitation is Vibrational Mass Accumulation, the question: ‘What is Levitation’, states that levitation is an accumulation of vibration in mass. This is evidenced with all levitation. Magnetism involves the exchange of an atom’s outer shell electrons; producing vibration. Ions are in a similar category as magnets; exchanging electrons. The difference with ions is that the vibrational process of electron transfer in ionization, produces a change of state in the element’s electromagnetic charge.

The rising of balloons is merely the action of a lighter gas within a membrane, rising above a heavier gas; a process as normal as running water flowing downhill.

The action of heat rising is a gravitational reaction of gases in air. As a reaction to particle bombardment within a mass, atoms within each element are effected. Their electrons are forced into higher shell layers which transfers to adjacent atoms, causing a reciprocating energy release. This action is comparable to friction in solid objects. This subatomic action of expansion, is an electron movement; this is a vibrational motion. One transportation application in this vibrational reaction was using steam to power train locomotives.

The process of incandescent light is a regulated measure of this heat, exchanged from a flow of electricity.

Another lesser explored consideration of levitation, is the unknown realm of spirituality and brain function. Skepticism is prevalent to areas of levitation that are subjective. Did Christ Jesus and Peter, walk on water?

Are the neural oscillations of the human brain capable of controlling electromagnetic switch sensors? 

The possibility of capturing the electrostatic movement in Earth’s atmosphere for levitation, and using its electric field to counteract Earth’s gravitational force, is still in the in theoretical design phase.

Today’s transportation levitation

Again, other than experimentation with ion propulsion; the only other current use of levitation in the transportation industry is with maglev train technology. There are several variations of maglev technology, regarding the different configurations of magnetic field placement and linear motion of the vehicle.

What emerging technologies are based towards levitation being used for transportation?

With an internet search; for using levitation with transportation, it brings up this 2024 article from thefinancialdaily.com. The article is about Japan’s Quantum Machine Unit at the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST). The institute has developed by a diamagnetic material made of pulverized graphite and wax, arranged in a continuous grid beneath them to create the magnetic levitation effect. This allows a vehicle to float above the track, moving without further electrical or mechanical thrust. Further inquiry about this technology is found in epressourcepage.com. This exciting headline hosts a vague and disappointing story written by the bland ambiguity of AI: providing the reader wasted time. There’s another similarly written article in ecoticias.com.  It reveals the mechanism in what it calls a technology that provides a magnetic guideway for maglev trains, removing the necessity of electromagnetic electrification.

Although these stories of this newly discovered diamagnetic material mention the material’s magnetic lack of permanent magnet adherence, nowhere in these articles is the mention of the Halbach array. The Halbach array was discovered in the 1970s and maintains a directed high intensity magnetic field with passive magnets.

The electromagnetic technology used in maglev trains, is quite extensive in China:

•        Shanghai maglev train: China’s first maglev project. Connects Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Downtown Pudong.

•        Changsha maglev train: Operates in Changsha, the capital of Hunan province.

•        Changsha-Huawei maglev train: A short line serving the Huawei campus in Changsha.

•        https://m.voc.com.cn/xhn/news/202502/28012192.html

•        Guangzhou-Shenzhen maglev train: An underground route linking Guangzhou and Shenzhen, two major cities in the Pearl River Delta region.

China’s transportation advances lead the world in the implementation of maglev technology. China is now working to build the world’s fastest transit system technology. 

One of the most informative sources regarding maglev train technology is Wikipedia. There are many variations of maglev train technology designs. There are three fundamentals of maglev technology: Electromagnetic suspension (EMS), Electrodynamic suspension (EDS), and the passive suspension of passive magnetic guideways. Passive magnetic guideway technology uses the Halbach arrays of permanent magnets. This methodology is more cost-effective than electromagnets, however the main factor in its efficiency is weight. A passive magnetic guideway is built for new technology systems using smaller vehicles. Another huge disadvantage for the 200-year-old heavy weight train technology: delivering hundreds of people to the same locations, is the requirement of heavily fortified concrete and steel infrastructure, plus massive electricity loads to electrify the guideway.

Applicable transit for modern civilization

CATTCC maintains that while maglev technology provides transportation solutions for the future of transportation, trains do not provide modern societal benefit for Western Society. The social functionality of train technology is 200 years old. Trains were a transportation marvel and a solution to the transportation demands for a non-technology civilization. All urban growth is based on its primary source of transportation. Trains are inappropriate for today’s modern culture in Western society’s automobile centric land-use design. The analyses of pros vs cons to maglev trains are irrelevant.

The optimal transit vehicle size for Western society accommodates six passengers, a maximum passenger capacity for a transit vehicle today is 20. Many transit system technology applications would be ideally suitable with 6 passenger capacity. There are also viable transit technologies available for 20 passenger systems.

Again, implementation of advances in transportation and transit systems are reliant upon land-use design. All urban growth is based upon its primary source of transportation. For any government planning agency, or a politically charged environmental group, to demand an environmental change; it’s inescapable to acknowledge that all urban growth is based on transportation.

The general public holds a presumptive determination that the term ‘advanced transportation’ means electric cars and trains. CATTCC’s research and study is beyond trains, cars, and aerodynamics. The future of transportation floats. This has a different meaning than propulsion based aerodynamically engineered flight.

Although changes are imperative for efficient transportation’s future, all environmental changes rely on changing the perception of what makes transportation efficient. The basic principle of propulsion, is forcing energy against resistance. Conversely, the frequency of harmonics allows a flow of resonance. Surfing is a manner of transportation without resistance; this is an example of efficient transportation.

What is a more efficient method of transportation?

The obstacle of maglev technology is a fundamental of physics: for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. This identifies the magnetic action as a complete function. Magnetic motion requires a fixed position of either the positive or negative field. This confines transportation motion to a fixed guideway. This is similar to jumping up in the air and catching your feet with your hands; enabling your body to stay suspended in the air. This closed magnetic action eliminates maglev technology the practicability of convenience and independence to replace the automobile as an alternative mode of transportation. 

The future of transportation requires floatation. The obstacle to maglev technology, is having no interaction with either the electrostatic properties of the atmosphere nor Earth’s magnetic field. The floatation of levitation is its own action; it involves an interaction with atmospheric subatomic forces and/or a gravitational interaction. 

Levitation provides flexibility of efficient transportation independence, without a fixed guideway.