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RE: Steemstem Community: Respond to this with your opinions on the subject
I would have to actually sit down and crunch the numbers to reject or agree with what you say here, but I am pretty sure that they did build a fairly small hyperloop that did work properly.
source.
Now, the question does become, whether or not the energy required to power the production model is absurdly high like you said. Personally, I would take a normal non-maglev bullet train over what we currently have in the US.
I look forward to seeing your mathematics. I believe I will be able to see whether or not my assertion holds any water or not based on your analysis.
It was only around 1-2 kilometers in length instead of the projected 560 kilometers so things would be wildly different in the two.
I was just attacking the energy efficiency as an example but ultimately I want others to be as creative as they can.
I understand your argument, but even with size, the energy efficiency should be scale upwards towards the larger rail size. Hence, why I was fairly unsure of the math.
I really haven't done enough of my own due diligence with regards to this topic from a practical standpoint; so again, I am looking forward to your analysis for reference.
Oh I completely understand, my math is likely wildly inaccurate as all I am looking at for the maglev train is to see how much effect air drag will slow it down as then it would be easy to calculate how much energy would be required to have it maintain its velocity, and then with the tunnel I found a model produced by someone else for calculating some items required to vacuum out a specific sized thing and it would be easy to change to find the energy.
After this, since both are energy, I would create a function names f(d) where d is the distance traveled and the f(d) is an energy relationship between the two things (I originally had 2 lines but I mean when you look for an intersection you create a single equation and then solve for roots so I instead just made a single equation to begin with)
This is where I am at (I haven't completed it yet but if it has a power greater than or equal to 2 then I will take the derivative and find info and yeah)
The simulation is being set up by a friend in a different engineering class and is commercial so I won't know the output of it until later.
Hmm, I see. That is rudimentary but its still a decent reference point.
I wonder if they have a technique or a bit of technology that can maintain the vacuum over a longer period of time without there having to be an extra energy expenditure. In theory, if this technology were to exist then because the vacuum effectively eliminates the drag for the hyperloop then over a longer period of time, the hyperloop becomes more efficient on energy then a normal maglev train would. I assume that since Musk is trying to actively build this thing then he probably has some of these problems sorted out; otherwise it would end up just being a giant novelty rather then a practical mode of transportation.
Energy expenditure aside, the problem I always saw with the hyperloop was that the tunnel needs to be built to withstand a huge amount of pressure over a extremely large surface area.
That and most models of the hyperloop require complete depressurization before people can get in or out of the capsul/car that they transport you in. I also have problems with some specific designs like one design was to have the pressure inside the tube down to near 0 atm but its mode of propulsion was to use a giant fan basically to use the remaining air pressure... Like it just wouldn't work, the fan would provide no force with nothing (to almost nothing) to push off of.