Courtesy : en.wikipedia.org
Hyperloop
A hyperloop is a proposed high-speed transportation system for both public and goods transport. The term was popularized by Elon Musk to describe a modern project based on the vactrain concept (first appearance in 1799).Hyperloop systems comprise three essential elements: tubes, pods, and terminals. The tube is a large, sealed and low-pressure system (usually a long tunnel). The pod is ausing magnetic propulsion (in some cases augmented by a ducted fan). The terminal handles pod arrivals and departures. The Hyperloop, in the initial form proposed by Musk, differs from vactrains by relying on residual air pressure inside the tube to provide lift by aerofoils and propulsion by fans.
The hyperloop has its roots in a concept by George Medhurst in 1799 and subsequently developed under the names pneumatic railway, atmospheric railway or vactrain. Elon Musk renewed interest in hyperloop after mentioning it in a 2012 speaking event.Musk further promoted the concept by publishing a white paper in August 2013, which conceived of a hyperloop route running from the Los Angeles region to the San Francisco Bay Area, roughly following the Interstate 5 corridor.His initial concept incorporated reduced-pressure tubes in which pressurized capsules ride on air bearings driven by linear induction motors and axial compressors.Transportation analysts challenged the cost estimates included in the white paper, with some predicting that a realized hyperloop would be several billion
The hyperloop concept has been promoted by Musk and SpaceX, and other companies or organizations have been encouraged to collaborate and develop the technology. Technical University of Munich Hyperloop set the hyperloop speed record of 463 km/h (288 mph) in July 2019 Virgin Hyperloop conducted the first human trial in November 2020 at its test site in Las Vegas, reaching a top speed of 172 km/h (107 mph).
History
After being conceived in 1799, the vactrain was invented in 1904 by Robert H. Goddard, a freshman at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.
Musk first mentioned that he was thinking about a concept for a “fifth mode of transport”, calling it the Hyperloop, in July 2012 at a PandoDaily event in Santa Monica, California. This hypothetical high-speed mode of transportation would have the following characteristics: immunity to weather, collision free, twice the speed of a plane, low power consumption, and energy storage for 24-hour operationsThe name Hyperloop was chosen because it would go in a loop. Musk envisions the more advanced versions will be able to go at hypersonic speed.In May 2013, Musk likened his Hyperloop to a “cross between a Concorde and a railgun and an air hockey table”.
From late 2012 until August 2013, a group of engineers from both Tesla and SpaceX worked on the modeling of Musk’s Hyperloop.An early system conceptual model was published in the Tesla and SpaceX blogs which describes one potential design, function, pathway, and cost of a hyperloop system.According to the alpha design, pods would accelerate to cruising speeds gradually using linear electric motors and glide above their track on air bearings through tubes above ground on columns or below ground in tunnels to avoid the dangers of grade crossings. An ideal hyperloop system will be more energy-efficient, quiet, and autonomous than existing modes of mass transit. Musk has also invited feedback to “see if the people can find ways to improve it”. The Hyperloop Alpha was released as an open source design. The trademark “HYPERLOOP“, applicable to “high-speed transportation of goods in tubes” was issued to SpaceX on 4 April 2017.
In June 2015, SpaceX announced that it would build a 1-mile-long (1.6 km) test track to be located next to SpaceX’s Hawthorne facility. The track was completed and used to test pod designs supplied by third parties in the competition.
By November 2015, with several commercial companies and dozens of student teams pursuing the development of Hyperloop technologies, the Wall Street Journal asserted that “The Hyperloop Movement”, as some of its unaffiliated members refer to themselves, is officially bigger than the man who started it.”
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) hyperloop team developed the first hyperloop pod prototype, which they unveiled at the MIT Museum on 13 May 2016. Their design uses electrodynamic suspension for levitating and eddy current braking.
On 29 January 2017, approximately one year after phase one of the hyperloop pod competition,the MIT Hyperloop pod demonstrated the first ever low-pressure hyperloop run in the world. Within this first competition the Delft University team from the Netherlands achieved the highest overall competition score, winning the prize for “best overall design”The award for the “fastest pod” was won by the Technical University of Munich (TUM), Germany, team WARR Hyperloop.The MIT team placed third overall in the competition, judged by SpaceX engineers.
The second hyperloop pod competition took place from 25 to 27 August 2017. The only judging criterion was top speed, provided it was followed by successful deceleration. The TUM WARR Hyperloop won the competition by reaching a top speed of 324 km/h (201 mph), breaking the previous record of 310 km/h (190 mph) for hyperloop prototypes set by Hyperloop One on their own test track.
A third hyperloop pod competition took place in July 2018. The defending champions, the TUM WARR hyperloop team, beat their own record with a top speed of 457 km/h (284 mph) during their run.
The fourth competition in August 2019 saw the TUM team, now known as TUM Hyperloop (by NEXT Prototypes e.V.),again winning the competition and beating their own record with a top speed of 463 km/h (288 mph).
The first passenger test of hyperloop technology was successfully conducted by Virgin Hyperloop with two employees of the company in November 2020, where the unit reached a maximum speed of 172 km/h (107 mph).
