The Hyperloop Dream!

While the student teams around the globe are busy designing, and building a half scale competition pod, the REAL challenge is of designing a functional full scale pod which remains a dream!

To start working on making this dream come true, our team wanted to keep as many sub systems from the completion pod design as viable while modifying them to cater for a full-scale pod. The reason being that these subsystems will be tried and tested during the half scale competition and thus will help reduce designing times that would otherwise be a lot if we used new sub systems.

One example of a subsystem we will need to change however is the propulsion system. After a lot of brainstorming, we settled upon a design which uses two sets of compressor – turbine configuration and is sufficient to carry the weight of the pod and transport 20 people. The main benefits of using this configuration is that it eliminates the constraints due to the Kantrowitz Limit and provides a sustainable propulsion system to cover large distances unlike the competition pod which has a goal to cover just one mile.

Another example of a change in system can be the levitation system. With the increase in the scale of the pod, the number of options to choose from also increases. With the addition of the compressors to the pod, it enables the pod to use air bearings in place of magnets for levitation throughout the entire or part of the pod’s runtime. Air bearings will reduce the drag experienced by the pod by a significant amount when compared to magnetic levitation. Our team is currently researching on the viability of air bearings vs magnets. This idea is promising and could prove to be a very viable option in the future as the Hyperloop nears it actual build phase.

Another option that our team is considering using the ArxPax engines which could act as a three systems in one (Propulsion, Levitation and braking system) for the pod. However, it reduces the complexity of the pod by reducing the need to integrate three different sub systems for the pod to function, ArxPax is believed to consume an unrealistic amount of power. While it is possible to provide such power during the run, rumors have it that SpaceX plans on using solar energy to power the pod. The idea seems very environment friendly and we are excited to see if it’s practically possible. Though it seems tough, we cannot rule out the possibility, specially keeping Elon Musk’s determination behind Hyperloop.

One interesting suggestion by the dynamics sub team of AZloop was to use Control Moment Gyros(CMG) for the stability mechanism of the pod for full scale. The inspiration to use this came from spaceships which use CMG’s for stability in space. The idea can be related to Hyperloop as the idea is to run the hyperloop pod in a near vacuum tube.

Excited by the prospect of competing in the competition, the work doesn’t stop here. We are working hard to bring the Hyperloop to Arizona and then to the rest of the world.

“The timing is right, we have the right team, the right backing, people are supporting us, it is happening!”

– Our project co-lead

With that, I would just like to say, watch out for Azloop!