Superman The Escape

I just wanted to confirm that Superman the Escape at SFMM uses magnets for its launching system. More specifically, electromagnets. Because I am doing if heat effects electromagnets and so I could use Superman as an example of a ride thats uses them!

Yes it uses magnets. Actually what it uses is called a linear induction motor, or LIM for short. The time the stators are energized is really quite short, so overheating is not much of a problem.

It actually uses LSM launch (linear synchronous motors), not LIM launch. Which is basically the same as LIM launch except it is implemented differently.

Yes I know about the LSM/LIMs but are they considered electromagnets? What other coasters use these magnets? I know M.Force uses magnets brakes at the end but are these electromagnets?

Batman and Robin Knight Flight, and Superman: The Ulitimate Escape[SFO] use them, there both at Six Flags parks.

Todd

I believe the magnets on MF are rare earth magnets and don't use electricty.

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"Not a shred of evidence exists in favor of the idea that life is serious." - Brendan Gill

The magnets have to "fire" (push-pull) in sequence if I am not mistaken, which indicates electricity is involved somehow.

Yes, the Intamin hypers all use plain old refrigerator magnets (really big ones).

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Jeff
Webmaster/Admin - CoasterBuzz.com

Jeff, since you mention it, are the brake magnets the same or different than the LSM/LIM ones? The brakes don't require electricity I am sure, but the launch ones have to be powered, yes? Otherwise the cars on superman would not be able to return to the station because the magnets would keep pushing the cars up the tower. In other words, something has to start and stop the propulsion. More info please.







*** This post was edited by Camel on 11/15/2000. ***

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think that the magnets on S:TE's cars are rare earth magnets, but the magnets next to the tracks are, in fact electromagnets.

I'm not an expert, but I'm pretty sure that LSMs are indeed turned on and off in sequence(figuring out this exact sequence is what I believe delayed S:TE's opening). The car is pulled towards the car w/the opposite magnetic charge of the rare earth magnets, and the current is switched to push the car past the electromagnet. In an LIM coaster, there is no pushing AND pulling, just waves of pushing.

I believe this is correct also. The launch magnets have to be charged in sequence, thus entailing electricity of some kind.

the ones on the car could just be metal fins pulled by the lims. yes the actually firing ones are electromagnets...

but hulks ridiculously simple design still does it for me...

watch scream parks if you really want to know how supes works. They explain the whole thing there. Pretty informative actually if you are into that kind of thing. I just know they work and it goes really really fast.

SFAGuy that's exactly how S:TE works.

I am an electrician and can explain this in much detail that some of you may not understand. But to make it short for the whole thread I will explain a few things.
Point 1
Heat does affect a magnetic field due to the ability of the metal that is used to conduct electricity at different temperatures. So you could say that if it were a colder day that the field created around an electromagnetic field could be stronger than on a hot day due to the fact that temperature has a direct affect on a metals ability to conduct electricity therefore the strength of the magnetic field.
Point 2
Rare earth magnets may be used but in order to turn them off or on you need another magnetic field wich can be turned on or off. Unless these magnets were used to just slow a car. But they could not be varried to slow down the car at various levels and could not be turned off.
Point 3
LIM/LSM are both using magnetic fields the basic principle of Motor theory involves magnetic fields. The key difference here is the word Induction wich involves exactly what it says the field(rotor)is induced in the moving object using the field(stator) wich is generated electrically on the stationary object. Synchronous However means that the moving object has a field applied to it(Electrically or Natuarally) wich locks on to the field that does not move and rotates at the same frequency of the field wich does not move hence the word synchronous. The only difference in the Rollercoaster world of LIM and LSM is that this is not a rotational movement but a forward push and can also be used to slow down the car on the return for shuttle coasters or to just slow a train as it passes by.

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