Research on Absolute Positioning Sensor Based on Eddy Current Reflection for High-Speed Maglev Train

A novel absolute positioning sensor for high-speed maglev train based on eddy current effect is studied in this paper. The sensor is designed with photoelectric switch and four groups of unilateral coplanar code-reading detection coil combination. The photoelectric switch realizes the positioning of the marker plate, and the four groups of detection coils read the mileage code of the mileage sign plate to obtain the absolute mileage information of the vehicle, which effectively reduces the quality and volume of the sensor, and reduces the impact of ice and snow. At the same time, the code-reading reliability and speed adaptability index are proposed. The code-reading reliability of the sensor is analyzed and tested under the fluctuation of levitation guidance, and the positioning error under the speed range of 0–600 km/h is calculated and analyzed. The results show that the novel sensor has the advantages of simple and compact structure. It still satisfies the system’s requirements for absolute vehicle mileage information under the conditions of vehicle operating attitude fluctuations and changes in the full operating speed range.