Just Cause
The next phase will be most exciting, when the theories are tested. The MIT design seems overly complicated to me, hope I'm wrong and it works well.
Derek Howe
I'm looking forward to this summers SpaceX held competitions. This event was more...meh. I want to see some actually prototypes. I think trains in tubes is a great idea, no weather can cause delays.
Good luck to em', and hopefully I will be riding on a hyperloop someday.
km4hr
MIT obviously has very smart and capable students but according to their web site they appear to benefit from the support of companies whose entire business is built on similar technologies. How much involvement is not clear but it certainly puts MIT at an advantage that's probably not be available to all competitors. I wonder if the rules have anything to say about outside support.
Donald Vitez
Why use magnets? Magnets are expensive and heavy. Why not employ a self leveling two-sided lifting body to achieve the necessary lift then use a system of slats and air jet nozzles to regulate the boundary layer of air surrounding the lifting body sides and thus distance above and to the sides of the track. The craft could operate in Wing in ground effect mode, at the center of an enclosed rectangular tunnel, without the need for heavy magnets. The craft is better braked when contacting the surface (track) beneath it anyway. It could start from rest by initially contacting the surface beneath it. Then accelerate air using electric ducted fans both atop and above the airfoil like lifting body surface to achieve lift as a linear motor accelerates it down the track. These fans would be powered by way of electromagnetic induction coils placed at the center of the track but not for its entire length. Computers coupled to ultrasonic sensors would be used to measure and regulate the distance between the craft and the surface above and beneath it. The EDFs are only necessary to achieve lift. The craft, being much lighter, could be airborne in just 100 feet and not have to contend with the weight penalty and magnetic field induced drag which will undoubtedly serve to make it less efficient. Once the craft has reached a given speed the inlet ducts of the EDFs would close to form an aero spike and the impeller would be locked in position feeding a hydrogen fueled ram jet that would serve to provide The additional thrust needed to maintain acceleration between stations The boundary layer of air surrounding the lifting body would be controlled by air jets. Upon entering a station, the craft would be rapidly decelerated by the linear induction motor coupled with reverse thrusters. The linear induction motor attached to the bottom half of the rectangular tube would serve two roles, initial acceleration away from one station and toward another and assisted braking when nearing a station. Like the Russian VA-111 SHKVAL supercavitating torpedo, compressed air emitted from the nose of the pod, could envelope a portion of the pod in an air bubble thus greatly reducing friction as the craft travels through the rectangular tunnel.
mhpr262
An acceleration of 2.4g? That is pretty hardcore. They'd better make sure the passengers know what to expect and not admit anybody with a heart defect or claustrophobia.
Edward Vix
Donald Vitez, because the system is based on an evacuated tube, no ground effect or other aerodynamic principles will apply.
Donald Vitez
I do not agree with the evacuated tube concept. Maintaining a vacuum at each station, much less the entire length of the tube, will prove problematic even if the tube employs a means of self sealing. To think that this entire system relying on vacuum, can be easily thwarted by terrorists with nothing more than an armor piercing round, is alarming.
Daniel Harbin
I see a buried system as it will make security easier. In addition any pinholes in the tube will be muted. But, being buried inspection will be more difficult and there are underground utilities and obstacles to overcome. There are some real life problems to overcome besides designing the tube and car.
David A Galler
I think that a more probative design problem in magnetic levitation is in industry as shuttles in heavy industry such as lift sections in ship building .
Donald Vitez
In the system I propose the rectangular tube is not a tube in the purest sense of the word.. It has openings at its sides. These openings allow the heat and exhaust of the Ram jet propulsion system to be taken out of the tunnel that the pod travels inside of. In the system I propose, the craft is acting in ground effect both above and below as well as to the sides of the pod in order to keep it centered within the Tube (above and below flat surface). I understand the idea of eliminating drag by using an evacuated tube, the trouble I have with the concept if found to be technically feasible, is that it is my belief that the costs to produce and maintain such system will far outweigh its increased efficiency. In the system I propose there are essentially two road surfaces, one above and one below between which the pod operates in ground effect,the pod subjected to forces from both a linear induction motor and Ram jet thruster.