Hyperloop transportation technology is a revolutionary mode of ground transportation that is currently being developed by a number of companies. Passengers will move at nearly 700 miles per hour in floating pods, either above or below ground, inside gigantic low-pressure tubes. Since Elon Musk announced the development of the hyperloop, it has received widespread media attention. Today, we will go through every aspect of a hyperloop in great depth.
The operation of the hyperloop, its benefits and drawbacks, and technological details are covered in each of the following sections.
Let’s start with the definition.
What is Hyperloop transportation technology?
Several companies are presently developing the next ground transportation system known as the hyperloop. At speeds exceeding 700 mph, passengers will be travelling in gigantic low-pressure tubes either above or below the earth in floating pods.
Why is it a buzzword is the next query?
What makes Hyperloop transportation technology different?
- There are two significant differences between hyperloop and conventional rail. First, to reduce friction, the passenger pods fly through tubes or tunnels with a lot of air drawn out of them.
- This should allow the pods to travel up to 750 miles per hour.
- Secondly, in order to reduce friction, the pods are built to float on air skis rather than on wheels like a train or vehicle. This design is based on the same principle as an air hockey table.
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Next, let me show you the benefits.
What are the benefits of Hyperloop transportation technology?
- Proponents argue that the Hyperloop will be less expensive and faster than train or car travel, as well as less expensive and less polluting than air travel.
- According to them, construction is both quicker and less expensive than traditional high-speed rail.
- Therefore, Hyperloop might be utilised to relieve the pressure on congested roadways, making it simpler to fly between cities and, as a result, potentially generating significant economic gains.
Time to look at the working of the hyperloop tube.
How does a Hyperloop technology tube work?
- The basic concept of Hyperloop, as envisioned by Musk, is that passenger pods or capsules fly through a tunnel, either above or below ground.
- To reduce friction, pumps remove most of the air from the tubes, but not all of it.
- In high-speed transportation, overcoming air resistance is one of the energy’s most significant uses.
- Airliners climb to high altitudes to fly through less dense air; Hyperloop does the same thing at ground level by enclosing the capsules in a reduced-pressure tube, effectively allowing the trains to travel at aeroplane speeds while still on the ground.
- The pressure within Musk’s Hyperloop tube is roughly one-sixth of the atmospheric pressure on Mars (a noteworthy contrast as Mars is another of Musk’s interests).
- This corresponds to an operating pressure of 100 pascals, which reduces the drag force of the air by 1,000 times as compared to conditions at sea level and is equivalent to flying at altitudes exceeding 150,000 feet.
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Next, we will see the working of hyperloop capsules.
How do Hyperloop technology capsules work?
- In Musk’s idea, the Hyperloop capsules float above the surface of the tube on a set of 28 air-bearing skis, similar to how an air hockey puck floats just above the table.
- One significant distinction is that, in order to keep the tube as simple and inexpensive as possible, the air cushion is created by the pod rather than the track.
- The majority of Hyperloop versions use magnetic levitation instead of air skis to keep the passenger pods above the tracks.
- The pod would receive its initial velocity from an external linear electric motor, accelerate to “high subsonic velocity,” and then receive a boost roughly every 70 miles. In between, the pod would coast along in close vacuum.
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We will move on to the benefits of the hyperloop to society.
The potential benefits to society
- According to study data, it will take nine minutes to go from London to Birmingham by hyperloop instead of 83 minutes by national rail. This represents a total time savings of 74 minutes.
- Other distances include 22 minutes to Newcastle from London (saving 149 minutes), 29 minutes to Edinburgh from London (saving 231 minutes) and just 31 minutes to Glasgow from London (saving 238 minutes).
- There would be more employment opportunities and a positive impact on tourism and sustainability if visits to the capital were shorter.
- The Hyperloop will also expand educational access.
- With universities located all over the world, picking one that is suitable for you and isn’t too far from home can be difficult. However, there is no longer a restriction on selecting universities near home with city-to-city links through the hyperloop, which significantly cuts down on travel time.
- The housing shortage would be resolved with the help of the hyperloop in addition to reducing travel times.
The cost of living in places like London and San Francisco is forcing the poorest people out due to financial uncertainties. - Therefore, people would be more likely to live outside of the city by making travelling to locations across the world cheaper. Making international travel more affordable might encourage more people to reside outside of urban areas.
- Travelling cheaply from Edinburgh to London, for example, will encourage more people to live in Edinburgh, which has a considerably lower cost of living than London and a large stock of available homes. Similar to how apartments are roughly 66% cheaper in Los Angeles than in San Francisco,
- The Hyperloop is not only intended for the transport of passengers, but also for the transport of goods.
- This would increase delivery time, prevent package damage and reduce the number of delivery vehicles, resulting in lower emissions.
- So what’s driving this new big form of transportation? The easy answer to that is electricity and solar power.
- From an external linear electric motor, the pods would get their speed, and the tube would have solar panels mounted on top that would produce more electricity.
- Therefore, to power the hyperloop to its peak speeds, only a small amount of electricity is required, making this one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport alongside the electric car.
That’s it about hyperloop technology. Do you think it’s going to revolutionise the transportation sector? Let me know your doubts in comments.
Happy learning!