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Team Papers

Thank you to all the research teams for their involvement! We've listed their papers and abstracts below.

Airlock System Concepts for Hyperloop

Authors: Bradley Craig, Jessie Huang

Affiliation: Strathloop

Date Written: 29th August 2020

Date Posted: 21st September 2020

Abstract: Vacuum management is an unavoidable aspect of Hyperloop design due to the fundamental requirement of the high-speed pods traveling in evacuated tubes. Through the application of airlock systems, the boundary between pod, tube and station will be maintained and each environment kept at the desired pressure. This paper will assess and compare different airlock configurations with the aim of minimising operating costs and increasing pod and passenger flow rates, all whilst providing a seamless experience to users.

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Design of Linear Induction Motor and Electrodynamic levitation for Hyperloop pod

Authors: Lekha Shree U S, Fenil Soni, Shreyashree Satyen, Dharmavarapu Lalit K S, Abir Mehta

Affiliation: Hyperloop IITB

Date Written: 22nd August 2020

Date Posted: 21st September 2020

Abstract: Hyperloop IITB is an interdisciplinary engineering project wherein the objective is to build a prototype high-speed Hyperloop pod, that can travel at transonic speeds in a partially evacuated tube. Our original aim was to build the pod for the Hyperloop Pod Competition organized annually by SpaceX. 'Hyperloop' is a recently proposed means of transportation meant to compete with high-speed railways. The distinction in Hyperloop is the elimination/reduction of contact friction and viscous drag by using magnetic levitation and running the pod in a partial vacuum.

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Eco-Sustainability of Power Systems Concepts

Authors: Kirsty Morrison, Mark McManus, Eva Peter, Hannah Docherty, Michael Kerr, Mathew Brown, Gregor Dodd, Giuseppe Pio Di Vona and Connor Burns

Affiliation: Strathloop

Date Written: 29th August 2020

Date Posted: 21st September 2020

Abstract: Battery powered technology and vehicles are more eco-sustainable than using fuel but also have their own drawbacks. The disposal of batteries causes harm to the environment due to both the processes and the lack of disposal units (meaning transporting the batteries). Strathloop’s battery system is eco-sustainable, but needs improvement, using Lithium Ion batteries was decided to still be best suited for the pod. The main ways in which this can be achieved is by renewable energies and second use batteries.

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Scaled Down Hyperloop Prototype Pod Design: Design Comparison Analysis on the Dynamic and Braking System

Authors: Mahek Logantha, Myron Phan, Nathan Bernardo, Leanna Hao, David Villalpando, Kaushal Patel, Sarah Graves, Rahul Sheth, Vikram Bhave, Christine Tran, Bobby Laviguer

Affiliation: HyperXite

Date Written: 18th August 2020

Date Posted: 21st September 2020

Abstract: The Hyperloop pod is a vehicle that is set to revolutionize the technological advancement of transportation systems. Like the bullet train, it is meant to transverse from point A to B at a tremendous speed, making it convenient for people that rely on transportation systems for traveling and commuting. However, the Hyperloop pod is designed to travel through a vacuum tube to negate air friction so that the pod can achieve high accelerations. Ideally, the concept compensates the practical modes of transportation by being relatively inexpensive compared to airfares and fast compared to public transportation methods. The HyperXite team has been building scaled-down prototype pods for the past four years with this Hyperloop vision in mind. After determining that building a full prototype pod would not be feasible for the team this year given the state of the competition and budgetary constraints, the team decided to move forward with a scaled down version of the pod with design concepts that we wanted to test.
We set a loose requirement of a 3 foot long pod that would still be able to move along the I-beam track with the given dimensions from the 2019 SpaceX Hyperloop competition. The pod stands at 62.36 inches in length, 30.137 inches in width, 17.452 inches in height, and its current mass is approximately 120lbs. We moved forward with a dual motor design, friction brakes that are actuated by our pneumatic system, and an aluminum chassis. Figure 1 provides an overview of the mechanical subsystems that make up the Hyperloop Pod. Not having SpaceX Competition design requirements to follow, gave our team the freedom to test different designs for each subsystem. The most drastic design changes have been implemented in the Dynamics and Braking subsystems. Specifically, the following paper provides a design comparison analysis between Pod IV (2019 pod) and Pod V’s dynamic and braking system, highlighting the Pod IV’s system, performance analysis, cost analysis, and feasibility.

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Simulation and Modeling of Eddy Current Brakes for Hyperloop

Authors: Alex Seligson, Sam Shersher, Dan Kim, Mark Koszikowski, and Jacques Mosseri

Affiliation: The Cooper Hyperloop

Date Written: 22nd August 2020

Date Posted: 21st September 2020

Abstract: Eddy currents are unique electromagnetic phenomena that occur when a changing magnetic flux induces an electric field in a conductive surface according to Faraday’s and Ohm’s laws. Eddy currents have been harnessed to create contactless Eddy Current Brakes (ECB’s) for large vehicles and more recently for Hyperloop pods. The main benefits of eddy current braking as opposed to traditional friction braking is a dramatic decrease in wear and a braking force that increases with speed. This paper uses Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and analytical models as techniques to obtain the braking characteristics of an ECB design. It is found that the presence of a back iron in the ECB and the length of the air gap both strongly affect the braking force. Different configurations of permanent magnets are also discussed. These design considerations and techniques can help Hyperloop teams create lightweight but powerful and safe ECB’s in the future.

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