Hyperloop One tests are successful in setting new record speeds

[Greg S]

Elon Musk is responsible for sparking the idea of a Hyperloop transportation system and there are now a handful of companies looking to commercialize the technology first. Hyperloop One has just announced successful test results showing it is on track to build a fully functional transport system.

Working out in the Nevada desert, Hyperloop One finished a second phase of testing. A prototype pod was accelerated 984 feet down a test track reaching a top speed of 192mph. The test ended in a success after the pod traveled a total distance of 1,433 feet. All results showed massive increases over initial phases of testing.

The one metric that also increased but less favorably so is power consumption. Levitating a heavy object precisely inside a tube and propelling it through smoothly is no easy feat. Approximately 3,151 horsepower was applied during the test, equivalent to 2.349 megawatts. It is unclear what type of payload, if any, was inside the Hyperloop One pod.

In order to reach new high speeds, a vacuum system was applied to the tube to decrease air resistance. Air pressure inside of the tube system was equivalent to being at 200,000 feet above sea level.

Following successful results CEO Rob Lloyd declared Hyperloop One is “excited about the prospects and the reception we’ve received from governments around the world to help solve their mass transportation and infrastructure challenges".

The future of transportation could be based on a pod system, although new inspiration may come along at any time. With only three years of development, Hyperloop One still has many obstacles to overcome before widespread acceptance can be achieved.

Permalink to story.

https://www.techspot.com/news/70405-hyperloop-one-tests-successful-setting-new-record-speeds.html

 

[Neojt]

2.349 megawatts !

 

[QuantumPhysics]

Apparently firing people through tubes at 100's of miles per hour was a safer investment than high-speed rail or affording health insurance for American citizens.

 

[tomkaten]

More megawatts needed to stabilize in cabin pressure, don't think putting on a space suit before embarking on this would please future customers.

 

[Badvok]

2.349 megawatts !

Yeah, about the same as a typical electric 4 carriage train in the UK but it managed to accelerate it to a vastly higher speed.

 

[Tonia73986]

Apparently firing people through tubes at 100's of miles per hour was a safer investment than high-speed rail or affording health insurance for American citizens.

What does free enterprise have to do with a social program? We're capitalist not socialist.

 

[dogofwars]

Apparently firing people through tubes at 100's of miles per hour was a safer investment than high-speed rail or affording health insurance for American citizens.

Worse case scenario they could sale the technology to Trump so he could fire peoples efficiently in mass lol.

 

[captaincranky]

What does free enterprise have to do with a social program? We're capitalist not socialist.

When you get your "capital" from the US government, in the form of tax breaks, loans, and contracts, it matters a great deal.

You sound either naive enough to not be in need of "social entitlements", or making a paycheck off nonsense like this.

My electric company sends PSAa about changing light bulbs to LED to save energy, yet these fools shoot nothing, pretty much nowhere, and piss away over 2 billion, with a "B", watts of electricity doing it..

It would seem that politicians around the world are exactly as stupid as we give them credit for being , if they're "exited" about systems like this.

First, the energy cost are likely to never go down, and you will be creating an almost complete vacuum over hundreds of miles of tubing, not something on the order of the length of a rich eccentric's Christmas train set.

Although, I imagine Elon Musk and his uber wealthy cohorts will be able to shoot each other all over the country in these tubes, all the while blabbering about "how much they've done for mass transportation".

 

[MilwaukeeMike]

This comment thread is proof that absolutely anything can be made into a political argument.

I can't wait until later this month when we can blame the eclipse on global warming.

 

[wiyosaya]

This comment thread is proof that absolutely anything can be made into a political argument.

I can't wait until later this month when we can blame the eclipse on global warming.

It is more logical that denial of global warming will be furthered by the idea that solar eclipses cool the earth.

Musk did not spark this; at best, he is furthering it. The TV series Babylon 5 had Musk's hyperloop on Mars in at least two episodes. I highly doubt anyone will be able to patent this because of this fact. Specifically, the episodes "Racing Mars" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517681/?ref_=ttep_ep10 and "The Exercise of Vital Powers" http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0517700/?ref_=ttep_ep16 both have a hyperloop like transit system in them.

 

[Jibberish18]

I'll check back in a few years. Until you tell me that you're going faster and more efficiently than a bullet train, I give not so many damns. Few...but not so many.

 

[ET3D]

I highly doubt anyone will be able to patent this because of this fact.

That's a misunderstanding of patents. Ideas can't be patented (theoretically; enough worthless patents pass through the US patent system). What's patented is implementations of ideas.

 

[captaincranky]

This comment thread is proof that absolutely anything can be made into a political argument. ...[ ]....

That's because most projects like this, are pretty much considered "political pork", either because of heavy lobbying in their favor, or sheer lack of knowledge on the part of elected officials.

Tell me, how soon do you think we'd be able to get energy costs down om something like this, when the "tube" is 200 miles long, going from NYC to Washing DC?

Creating and maintaining an almost total vacuum in a system ain't ever gonna be cheap. And I've only considered a singe tunnel. God forbid people should want to travel to and from at the same time.

Oh wait, a dedicated nuclear power station at each end of the line would bring the energy costs substantially..(y)

Or maybe, we'll soon be able to control the physical characteristics of air so the tube will magically or spontaneously evacuate itself.

In any case, it will be your hard earned dollars spent via taxes, on R & D, construction, and the inevitable astronomical ticket prices.

Question, how many time has the US government bailed out "Amtrack"? (Actually they not only have bailed it out, but all the railroads which have gone before it) . Now take that number and place the exponent of your choice behind it. That's how much it would cost to "levitate" this turd.

We don't have "bullet trains" on the level of Japan as of now. We you get done counting the bribery, corruption, political favors, material waste, and yes, the cost of American labor to build this "miracle", it will be a bulldog you, and the American taxpayer, simply can't afford to feed, .

Now tell me again how, "this isn't political"?

Footnote: Due to the expense of transporting prisoners to and from hearings at local courthouses, hearings are often held via "video conferencing".

Which BTW, would also remove quite a bit of need for traveling between the places I've mentioned anyway..

 

[Badvok]

Tell me, how soon do you think we'd be able to get energy costs down om something like this, when the "tube" is 200 miles long, going from NYC to Washing DC?

It doesn't actually sound like the costs need to come down very much. 2.349 MW to get to 192mph is pretty efficient even if that doesn't include lowering the pressure in the tunnel. And the longer the tunnel the lower the relative cost of accelerating the pod.

 

[captaincranky]

It doesn't actually sound like the costs need to come down very much. 2.349 MW to get to 192mph is pretty efficient even if that doesn't include lowering the pressure in the tunnel. And the longer the tunnel the lower the relative cost of accelerating the pod.

I always enjoy debating things like this with the chronic dreamers here at Techspot. Let's assume you're right about operational costs. That leaves us with the cost of digging and lining tunnels, possibly hundreds of miles long. Maybe you could take next Saturday off and get the project started. Or maybe "the infrastructure fairy" will drop it off to Musk while he's sleeping some night.

How big of a pump are you going to chip in and buy, to create a near absolute vacuum, a couple of hundred miles long?

FWIW, I think Japan's "bullet train", already exceeds 200 MPH, or do I have to quote that in KPH?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shinkansen

I think the least you could do is pay for the necessary rights of way for this beast.

 

[Badvok]

FWIW, I think Japan's "bullet train", already exceeds 200 MPH, or do I have to quote that in KPH?

It is a good comparison, the bullet train requires 17MW to get to that speed.

 

[wiyosaya]

I highly doubt anyone will be able to patent this because of this fact.

That's a misunderstanding of patents. Ideas can't be patented (theoretically; enough worthless patents pass through the US patent system). What's patented is implementations of ideas.

I think you should have a look at this - https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s2133.html#d0e203899

If you are willing to take the time to look through the info, it is clear that something like this cannot be patented because the idea of it is in the public domain. It has been that way for years.

In fact, I would not be surprised if Musk was not developing this himself because he knows it cannot be patented.

Edit -
And have a look at this - https://www.uspto.gov/web/offices/pac/mpep/s2128.html#d0e202564
Prior art, as it is called, will definitely come into play on this.

 

[BrianMontanye]

"FWIW, I think Japan's "bullet train", already exceeds 200 MPH, or do I have to quote that in KPH?"

It only took a little over 900 feet to reach nearly 200 mph. Given more distance to travel and this would surpass the bullet trains by a good margin.

 

[Badvok]

How big of a pump are you going to chip in and buy, to create a near absolute vacuum, a couple of hundred miles long?

They're not even talking of anything near to 'edge-of-space' levels of air pressure, a long, long way short of anything like 'near absolute vacuum'.

 

[captaincranky]

It is a good comparison, the bullet train requires 17MW to get to that speed.

There is a significant difference from a train, (even one operating without passengers), and a tiny tin can containing nothing, save for perhaps some telemetry instrumentation on the latter, which used a lot more energy, and did no work.

If you read that link, you'd have seen how the Japan railway was plunged deep into debt at one point.

If you'd read the papers, or watched the the TV news recently, you'd have learned that Elon Musk declared he would be building that run from, DC to Philadelphia, to NYC. The trouble with his, "premature imaginary foregone conclusion", is that neither the mayor of NYC, or the mayor of Philadelphia knew one blessed thing about it. Musk had discussed it with "someone" in Washington, but was never given any kind of approval, let alone a contract for the project.

So, at the end of the day, Musk came off as exactly what he is, a lame a** door to door salesman, making a "presumptive close".

 

[Badvok]

... a tiny tin can containing nothing ...

Did you actually read the article? This was full-size passenger pod test.

 

[Badvok]

... which used a lot more energy ...

I don't think they've actually revealed the energy used, anywhere, can you post a link to explain this comment?

 

[wiyosaya]

"FWIW, I think Japan's "bullet train", already exceeds 200 MPH, or do I have to quote that in KPH?"

It only took a little over 900 feet to reach nearly 200 mph. Given more distance to travel and this would surpass the bullet trains by a good margin.

Provided that they can supply the energy to keep accelerating it. Once it gets going, however, the energy needed to maintain motion will substantially decrease.

 

[wiyosaya]

There is a significant difference from a train, (even one operating without passengers), and a tiny tin can containing nothing, save for perhaps some telemetry instrumentation on the latter, which used a lot more energy, and did no work.

If you read that link, you'd have seen how the Japan railway was plunged deep into debt at one point.

If you'd read the papers, or watched the the TV news recently, you'd have learned that Elon Musk declared he would be building that run from, DC to Philadelphia, to NYC. The trouble with his, "premature imaginary foregone conclusion", is that neither the mayor of NYC, or the mayor of Philadelphia knew one blessed thing about it. Musk had discussed it with "someone" in Washington, but was never given any kind of approval, let alone a contract for the project.

So, at the end of the day, Musk came off as exactly what he is, a lame a** door to door salesman, making a "presumptive close".

Musk has, IMO, a lot of lame *** ideas. To me, it seems as if in his mind, his monetary collection makes him God.

As someone who has worked with laboratory-class vacuum equipment, I also see your comments about the vacuum required as valid. Creating a vacuum in something that long with minimal leaks will likely be one of the biggest challenges this project will face - IMO, anyway.

 

[ET3D]

If you are willing to take the time to look through the info, it is clear that something like this cannot be patented because the idea of it is in the public domain.

Not going to read it, because you must be misunderstanding it. There are tons of details when constructing anything, and any of them can be patented if it hasn't been done before. Just because someone raised the idea of using magnetism or steam or anything else for propulsion doesn't equate describing a practical system which can do that. It's the details of the implementation of that idea which are patented.

Also, having a public implementation of an idea can prevent that implementation from being patented, but it can't prevent another implementation of the same idea from being patented, if it's significantly different.

Just consider everything that goes into this system. To quote Wikipedia: "Elon Musk's version of the concept, first publicly mentioned in 2012, incorporates reduced-pressure tubes in which pressurized capsules ride on an air bearings driven by linear induction motors and air compressors." If previous implementations didn't include air bearings driven by linear induction motors and air compressors, then that aspect can be patented.