Elon Musk, billionaire founder of PayPal, a crowd favorite and talented entrepreneur of our time, makes the world happy with Tesla Motors and space flights SpaceX. More recently, Musk has set out to significantly reduce travel time on this planet, presenting the concept of using rockets for passenger transport. But before that he wanted to cut travel time between Los Angeles and San Francisco to 35 minutes. He therefore proposed to build a high-speed transport system, which will allow people to overcome 1223 kilometres per hour, Hyperloop.
At first it seemed that the idea is absolutely fantastic. So. But if he succeeds, the futuristic Hyperloop will replace trains and will produce a revolution in transport, as did the locomotive, automobile and airplane. The only problem is that nobody knows if the Hyperloop will work and how much it actually will cost of its construction. Although development is underway and moving.
Musk says that the price for the project — $ 6 billion. But many treat these numbers skeptically. Some experts say that the money is not to build even a bridge of a decent size. Moreover, in California, for example, the plan for the construction of a much slower rail system between the two cities cost $ 60 billion. This proposal prompted the Mask to provide Hyperloop. The California plan, as written by Musk in a 57-page white paper, published on the SpaceX website in August 2013, was too expensive “for one of the slowest trains in the world.” To understand this train will be able to reach a speed of 322 kilometers per hour.
Regardless of the price and complexity of creating almost supersonic ground transport system, Musk said that the Hyperloop is a cross between train and plane. In many ways, it’s like traveling back in the pool on the barrel of the shotgun with the help of technology from the game in air hockey. Musk believes that the Hyperloop will work. But how?
Trains, planes, automobiles, ships and… beans
In the world of Elon musk Hyperloop will be a “fifth form” of transportation, not to mention planes, trains, cars and ships in the Pantheon of mechanized movement. Musk wants people traveled in pods (like the same as in the bobsled, only bigger) to be with his entourage shooting through steel pipes that are installed on pylons or poles, is designed to survive California earthquake. These pylons are made of reinforced concrete, would be spaced every 30 feet (or so) and will be up to 6, 15 and 30 meters depending on terrain.
What are the plans for the implementation of the plan Mask offer engineers? Most of them failed for several reasons. For example, offer to equip Hyperloop powerful propellers that will push the beans like a pneumatic tube. Musk notes that although these giant propellers make it is possible, it is impractical, because the 563-kilometer-long segment in this rapid movement the column of air resistance inside the pipe is enormous and to achieve the desired speed will be impossible.
Also excluded vacuum tube with electromagnetic suspension like the one used in the movement of the Maglev. The fact that the pipes create a perfect vacuum would be too difficult, especially if daily they will get in and out of thousands of beans. Moreover, the aluminum pipe can burst or leak and thus vent.
“Just one little crack somewhere on the tube at hundreds of miles — and the whole system stops working,” wrote Musk.
Another technical issue is that the Bob moves through the tube with air. Musk says if the pipe wall and Bob are close enough, “the capsule will behave like a syringe”. In other words, Bob will push the entire column of air in the system, and not to miss it. As a result, Bob will move very slowly or engineers will have to build a massive pipe.
In Elon musk
The list of problems seems endless. But Musk, resourceful innovator, has attracted a team of engineers from Tesla and SpaceX to find a solution. They offered to pull two tubes (one North, the other South) to reduce the air pressure inside.
The theory is simple: jet planes fly at high altitudes in less dense air, and the resistance decreases. Team Mask is decided that the air pressure inside the system should be six times less than the pressure of the thin atmosphere of Mars that would greatly reduce drag accelerates the beans. In addition, the location of the Hyperloop along interstate 5 in the US will reduce costs because you do not have to buy land from people living along the route.
They also made Bob the heart of the system, the pipe was the least technologically. The plan is to design a Bob with metal skis that roll or levitate on a cushion of air pumped through small holes in the skis. The concept is similar to a game of air hockey, except that the air accumulates due to the high speed advance Bob on the tube, and heavy duty electric compresses in front of Bob pumped the air in the rear. Magnets on the skis is paired with an electromagnetic pulse give Bob the first push, you knew the trains. After that, the sense of speed lost.
Linear induction motors receiving energy from the magnets and conductors are placed at different points along the tube and provide Bob with stable movement. Along the pipe will also have emergency exits. On the tubes will also be placed solar panels.
Watch where you’re going
Musk promises that the beans will be comfortable and safe. They will move on Hyperloop one, to serve every 30 seconds or so, and move on average a distance of 37 kilometers from each other. Passengers will be able to enter and exit at each end of the pipe and through the branch along the pipe. Each passenger Bob will seat 28 people, seated 14 people in two rows, together with a Luggage compartment at one end. Large containers can accommodate a car. Passengers will pay $ 20 for a one way ticket.
Getting rid of baggage, passengers should sit in seats, seat belts and get stuck in your personal display for 35 minutes. Even the toilet not to go — it will not. And since the cabin will be very close, traveling this way is not suitable for people suffering from claustrophobia.
Will the Hyperloop work? Who knows. Test plots are already being built and tested. Musk thinks that this is possible, people believe him. Jim Powell, who was one of the founders of maglunob trains can speed up to 581 kilometer — told The Verge that Musk is right that wants to make the entire system into the pipe. He says that in an open system will be too much friction. And friction can be a problem even in the hermetically sealed tube Hyperloop.
Moreover, it is best to build the Hyperloop tube in a straight line. Powell says that if the path is too tortuous, passengers will be vomiting.
While many people agree that the technical problems of creating a Hyperloop can be solved, few are asking about the price. 6 billion — the price tag is too weak for a project of this magnitude. While Musk wants to spend his own money and hopes that others will be able to make a breakthrough for him. Maybe you try your luck?
How does the Hyperloop?
Ilya Hel