Numerical Investigation of Aerodynamic Drag and Pressure Waves in Hyperloop Systems

Thi Thanh Giang Le, Kyeong Sik Jang, Kwan-Sup Lee and Jaiyoung Ryu
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Thi Thanh Giang Le: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06911, Korea
Kyeong Sik Jang: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06911, Korea
Kwan-Sup Lee: Hyper Tube Express (HTX) Research Team, Korea Railroad Research Institute, Gyeonggi-do 16105, Korea
Jaiyoung Ryu: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06911, Korea

Mathematics, 2020, vol. 8, issue 11, 1-23

Abstract: Hyperloop is a new, alternative, very high-speed mode of transport wherein Hyperloop pods (or capsules) transport cargo and passengers at very high speeds in a near-vacuum tube. Such high-speed operations, however, cause a large aerodynamic drag. This study investigates the effects of pod speed, blockage ratio (BR), tube pressure, and pod length on the drag and drag coefficient of a Hyperloop. To study the compressibility of air when the pod is operating in a tube, the effect of pressure waves in terms of propagation speed and magnitude are investigated based on normal shockwave theories. To represent the pod motion and propagation of pressure waves, unsteady simulation using the moving-mesh method was applied under the sheer stress transport k–ω turbulence model. Numerical simulations were performed for different pod speeds from 100 to 350 m/s. The results indicate that the drag coefficient increases with increase in BR, pod speed, and pod length. In the Hyperloop system, the compression wave propagation speed is much higher than the speed of sound and the expansion wave propagation speed that experiences values around the speed of sound.

Keywords: Hyperloop system; transonic speed; aerodynamic drag; drag coefficient; pressure wave; shockwave (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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