Institute of Transport Systems and Technologies

To deepen and expand the comprehensive research on high-speed ground transportation using magnetic levitation and onboard power sources for vehicles, a decision was made to establish a new institute within the system of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine.

Based on the Department of Physical and Technical Problems of Transport and New Materials (FTPTNM) of the Institute of Geotechnical Mechanics of the NAS of Ukraine, the Presidium of the NAS of Ukraine established the Institute of Transport Systems and Technologies (ITST NAS of Ukraine) "Transmag" on February 15, 1995. Viktor Oleksandrovych Dzenzerskyi, a leading scientist in the field of magnetic levitation transportation and autonomous chemical power sources, was appointed as its director. He was among the pioneers of such research in Ukraine and initiated the creation of both the "Transmag" Department and the Institute.

The Presidium of the NAS of Ukraine approved the following scientific directions for the Institute:

• Physical and technical problems related to the creation of magnetically levitated transport systems and devices, including their control and power supply systems.
• Issues of mechanics and aerodynamics of transport vehicles, including those levitating above profiled support surfaces.
• Problems related to the development and operation of high-energy onboard power sources for transport vehicles.

In September of the same year, the first starter battery plant in Ukraine was launched. Built under the leadership and direct participation of the Institute’s scientists, without budgetary funds, it was the best of its kind in the CIS countries at the time and one of the best in Europe.

The plant was designed with the concept of the most advanced technological process implementation, featuring a high level of automation (up to 96%) and safety, distinguishing it from existing manufacturing facilities.

The annual production capacity of the First Ukrainian Battery Plant, built in Dnipropetrovsk, was 1.3 million of the most modern and globally competitive batteries. These batteries were intended for use in almost all types of automotive and motorcycle technology, as well as agricultural and military equipment.

Based on the experience gained from this project and under the scientific supervision and direct involvement of the Institute’s staff, a new generation of sealed lead-acid starter, traction, and stationary batteries was developed. These batteries featured enhanced specific energy characteristics and original production technologies. The manufacturing process was characterized by a high degree of continuity, waste-free and closed-loop production, high precision in electrode and intercell connection fabrication, and superior purity and corrosion resistance of active materials.

The Institute also developed, created, and patented battery units for tanks and light armored vehicles. These batteries, adopted by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, outperformed their foreign counterparts in terms of parameters: domestic batteries for armored vehicles demonstrated high resistance to vibration and shock, increased mechanical and operational reliability. Close cooperation between scientists and manufacturers allowed the transition from prototype analysis to mass production in just five months.

At the same time, the Institute continues to develop fundamental and applied research methods for magnetically levitated transport systems and their energy supply, in accordance with the scientific directions approved by the NAS of Ukraine. These developments include:

• Proposing new electrodynamic suspension schemes with improved levitation quality and greater stability compared to traditional designs.
• Developing and refining methods and algorithms for studying the levitated movement of electrodynamic transport systems. Rational structural designs and key parameters of transport vehicles and track structures have been determined.
• Designing a combined strengthened thermal insulation of the honeycomb type for superconducting magnetic systems of magnetically levitated transport vehicles.
• Developing a full-scale transport cryomodule KTK-1 with a composite-material-based housing. The main structural components of two cryomodules, including superconducting coils, have been manufactured and tested.
• Creating a methodology for studying the dynamics of the elastic system supporting a magnetically levitated vehicle with an electrodynamic suspension. This methodology allows for determining rational structural parameters of the track infrastructure.

itst.org.ua