Exploration and Design of a Magnetic Levitation System

Abstract

The project focuses on exploring the inner workings of a magnetic levitation system: a commercial levitating moon-lamp device. This device is able to levitate the floating lamp from the bottom and is stable when aligned correctly. The objective is to investigate how this device operates. A commercial device is purchased and disassembled to investigate the inner-working of the device. Theoretical models and simulations are used to explain its behavior. For the second part of this project, a new device is then designed and built, featuring custom control circuits, driver and mechanical fixture. This setup is able to achieve levitation indefinitely and handle light disturbance coming from the user. There are a couple extensions to the project that can be explored, including improvement in cooling and electronics design, better analysis framework, and implementation of digital control system.