Hermann Kemper (5 April 1892 in
Nortrup – 13 July 1977) was a German engineer and pioneer in
magnetic levitation
Magnetic levitation (maglev) or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields. Magnetic force is used to counteract the effects of the gravitational force and any other forces.
The ...
.
Herman Kemper began his research on magnetic levitation in 1922. In 1933, Kemper constructed a working circuit for hovering on the principle of
electromagnetic levitation
Magnetic levitation (maglev) or magnetic suspension is a method by which an object is suspended with no support other than magnetic fields. Magnetic force is used to counteract the effects of the gravitational force and any other forces.
The ...
, using electromagnetic attraction. He was awarded the Reichs Patent number 643316, "Schwebebahn mit räderlosen Fahrzeugen, die an eisernen Fahrschienen mittels magnetischer Felder schwebend entlang geführt wird" (the invention of a hovertrack with wheelless vehicles which hover along iron rails using magnetic fields).
This invention eventually led to the development of
Transrapid
Transrapid is a German-developed high-speed monorail train using magnetic levitation. Planning for the Transrapid system started in 1969 with a test facility for the system in Emsland, Germany completed in 1987. In 1991, technical readi ...
.
In 1972, he received recognition of his research achievements, the
Great Cross of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kemper, Hermann
1892 births
1977 deaths
German electrical engineers
Commanders Crosses of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany
Scientists from Osnabrück
Engineers from Lower Saxony