GEOMETRICAL OPTIMIZATION OF SUPERCONDUCTING LEVITATION SYSTEMS BASED ON THE COMPLETE MEISSNER EFFECT

We analyse superconducting magnetic levitation systems where both the suspended body and the field-generating conductors are perfectly diama gnetic. We develop a method to find a spatial distribution of the wind ings underneath a planar superconductor which maximizes the achievable magnetic support field, for a given maximum field at the windings. Th e basic method consists of tuning the horizontal and vertical held com ponents according to the corresponding held enhancement factors at the windings. Using customized windings of varying pitch, it appears that improvements in lift force by factors of 2 or more are possible.