What is the Hyperloop?
The Hyperloop is a proposed system of transportation created by multi-billionaire entrepreneur, Elon Musk. Musk's idea consists of a train like car that would travel through low pressure tubes at very high rates of speed. While his idea has not yet become a reality, one company called Hyperloop One, has gotten the approval from Musk to work and test a possible track and pod. If this idea were to become accessibly to the public, it would drastically change how people would travel and how fast they could go from one point from another. As testing continues on making the idea tangible, the world awaits a faster alternative to everyday travel.
How it Works
The Hyperloop utilizes large tubes that contain a train like pod that would hold passengers or goods. The tube would incorporate a low pressure environment that would reduce air resistance on the pod. Then the pod would be propelled by two powerful electromagnetic motors that would allow it to move at high rates of speed. Finally, the front of the pod would direct the compressed air in front of the car into air bearings on the lower side of the pod in order for the pod to levitate above the track. This would neglect friction between the pod and the track so that there is little resistance holding back the speed of the pod.
The Kinematics
Max Speed: 1080 km/h
At this speed the hyperloop would surpass the speed of the average commercial plane by almost 300 km/h making it one of the fastest modes of transportation. This speed would allow a person to cover a distance of 550 kilometers in just over 30 minutes.
X= D * T
550 = 1080 * T
T = .51 hrs
While the pod would not be able to travel this top speed the entire journey due to acceleration time, location, and track turns, it would still reach the destination in plenty of time to beat any other mode of transportation. These three factors would have to be taken into account so that the acceleration at any point in time would not inflict too many G forces on the passenger.
Acceleration of the Hyperloop
Launch:
Musk has said that the acceleration would never reach more than .5 G forces of 4.9 m/s^2.
Vf = Vi + at
300 = 0 + 4.9t
t= 61.22 Seconds
61.22 Seconds to reach max speed while not exceeding 1/2 G's of force.
Corners
Musk has also announced that the vehicle would slow to 134.11 m/s and again not exceed 1/2 G's of force.
4.9 = 134.11^2 / r
r = 3670 m
In order for this lofty goal of only exerting 1/2 g's on the passenger, the radius of the turn as a circle would have to be 3.67 km long to maintain the speed of 134.11 m/s.
X= D * T
550 = 1080 * T
T = .51 hrs
While the pod would not be able to travel this top speed the entire journey due to acceleration time, location, and track turns, it would still reach the destination in plenty of time to beat any other mode of transportation. These three factors would have to be taken into account so that the acceleration at any point in time would not inflict too many G forces on the passenger.
Acceleration of the Hyperloop
Launch:
Musk has said that the acceleration would never reach more than .5 G forces of 4.9 m/s^2.
Vf = Vi + at
300 = 0 + 4.9t
t= 61.22 Seconds
61.22 Seconds to reach max speed while not exceeding 1/2 G's of force.
Corners
Musk has also announced that the vehicle would slow to 134.11 m/s and again not exceed 1/2 G's of force.
4.9 = 134.11^2 / r
r = 3670 m
In order for this lofty goal of only exerting 1/2 g's on the passenger, the radius of the turn as a circle would have to be 3.67 km long to maintain the speed of 134.11 m/s.
Great article. Might be worth it to note that construction is already underway on the Hyperloop in a few locations. Musk's company for digging tunnels is known as The Boring Company (because it bores through the Earth).
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