Effect of side track height on aerodynamic characteristics of a high-speed high-temperature superconducting maglev train under crosswind

Currently, the design of high-temperature superconducting (HTS) maglev trains adopts a U-shaped track operation mode, and the height of the side track significantly impacts the train’s aerodynamic characteristics. In this study, we used computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methods, based on the 3D Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method and shear stress transport (SST) k-ω turbulence model, to deeply investigate the effects of the presence or absence of a U-shaped track and different side track heights (800, 880, and 960 mm) on the pressure distribution, velocity distribution, and flow field structure of HTS maglev trains at a speed of 400 km/h under crosswinds. The numerical methods were verified using a scaled ICE-2 model wind tunnel test. First, the aerodynamic characteristics of the train under different wind direction angles with and without side tracks were studied. We found that the aerodynamic performance of the train is the most adverse when the wind direction angle is 90°. The presence of a U-shaped track can effectively reduce the lateral force, lift, and yawing moment of the train. The aerodynamic performance of the first suspension bogie at the bottom, which is the worst, will also be effectively improved. Next, the aerodynamic effects of different side track heights on the HTS maglev train were studied. An increase in side track height will reduce the lift and lateral force of the train, while the increase in drag is relatively small. Under the premise of ensuring passengers can conveniently alight, we found that a U-shaped track with a side track height of 960 mm has the best aerodynamic performance. The research findings offer a valuable reference for the engineering application and design of the track structure of HTS maglev train systems.