TubeWaysSolar traffic system
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T U B E
W A Y
S O L A R # The Future of Energy and Mobility is Solar
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>> T U B E - W A Y - S O L A R <<
Michael Thalhammer
= = DEVELOPMENT STUDY FOR A SOLAR-PNEUMATIC GUIDEWAY TRANSPORT SYSTEM = =
__________TUBEWAYSOLAR__________
I N S H O R T :
It was around the turn of the millennium when the idea of a pneumatic tube system became clear to me, connecting it to a modern transportation system. TubeWaySolar was born!
TubeWay could be the answer to many of the challenges of our time: firstly, to ensure long-term, affordable mobility, and secondly, to further reduce the environmental impact of traffic, including CO2, noise, and pollution.
It was clear to me that the pneumatic 24/7 drive system should be powered exclusively by the sun. Photovoltaic films applied to the tubes generate an abundance of electricity – feedable into the power market – solely from our daylight.
TubeWay thus glides autonomously, without resistance, quietly, and emission-free in durable, low-maintenance tube sections and has the capacity of a six-lane highway. Speeds of around 300 kilometers per hour can be achieved.
TWS routes run on elegant elevated tracks at an average height of seven meters. TubeWay requires very little land. Naturally developed habitats are preserved for people, animals, and agricultural use.
TubeWay provides hub connections and structurally supports logistical services for passenger and freight transport.
Safety is paramount at TubeWay: the entire network is controlled and monitored via computer-aided control centers.
TubeWaySolar helps advance the energy and mobility transition, thus protecting our unique planet before the "window of opportunity for climate action" closes. We fully embrace this responsibility! We must preserve our shared habitat with all our strength and wisdom before reaching critical tipping points.*
* "Before critical tipping points are reached, it is crucial to keep global warming as low as possible, as irreversible and self-reinforcing changes in the climate system are triggered once these thresholds are reached" (Source: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)).
TWS is technically unrelated to any of this. "Hyperloops" are a common phenomenon – the sobering Hyperloop analysis can be found here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1828935#abstract
See also my video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=19YDKukm2vc&t=18s
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Image of a modern pneumatic tube system. In 1819, the Scottish engineer William Murdoch demonstrably conducted a series of experiments with compressed air and developed the first pneumatic communication system, which later became known as pneumatic tubes.
TubeWaySolar is, in some respects, still quite similar to a pneumatic tube system, even technically.
>>The following sections will discuss the key business aspects, as well as the technical functions and their system security in more detail:
Part 1
What are the business aspects of TubeWaySolar?
The transport revolution requires new business models that are both profitable AND sustainable. The TWS transport infrastructure sells its surplus solar power to the grid via a "solar-integrated transport corridor." This allows TubeWay to maintain its own energy supply free of charge AND position itself as a major electricity provider.
While some upfront investments and carefully planned implementation steps are necessary for TWS's mobility service, once established, investors and operators could generate consistently secure profits. For example, the extensive technical expertise of Siemens Mobility, Alstom, ÖBB, and the EU infrastructure can be combined to achieve success through TubeWay. TubeWaySolar—as a particularly efficient complement to existing modes of transport—paves the way for an economically and ecologically sound restructuring.
The market for public transport and freight logistics in Europe is worth over €200 billion annually. TubeWay aims to establish its sustainable contribution with low operating costs, new revenue streams (tickets, transport fees, solar power sales), and its high scalability across all locations. This would simultaneously create a variety of business sectors. For example, the legal structure could be such that the pipelines are nationally owned, the solar energy is supplied by a public limited company, and the vehicle fleet is under the jurisdiction of a public administration. Several hybrid models are possible.
Europe has THE opportunity to secure outstanding technological leadership with TubeWay – or to lose it to other regions. TubeWay-Mobility has the potential to revitalize key segments of our market and working world. This creates a win-win situation for customers, operators, and our immediate environment.
Expertise from investment, EU infrastructure planning, and the relevant industries is needed. Now, a suitable capital consortium with an affinity for EU policy and major industry is required.
Truly reliable figures are rare for large-scale projects, and I cannot offer any here either – however: In the preliminary technical development phase, the small 40 cm network or the 190 cm SiS network can be built with low financial risk. These initial networks will also generate revenue for the large IC network through a phased financing plan.
Oil crises and rising energy costs do not affect TubeWaySolar; in fact, they indirectly even fuel its growth. However, the constant increase in CO2 emissions (climate change) also demands immediate action! TubeWaySolar would be its most direct way to combat this problem. Limiting factors.
Global growth regions urgently need sustainable infrastructure. TubeWaySolar can unleash its dual potential here: CO₂ savings in the gigaton range CO2 AND new economic prospects. But the question remains: Who will take this path first – Europe or other regions of the world?
Whoever scales up first in TWS will have a global advantage!
Control centers of future TubeWays (example image)
With FinTech + Industry 4.0 Rail + EU infrastructure project, this way out of the climate trap can be achieved.
Market – Competitors – Strategy
Railway lines cost (in 2017) an average of about €27 million per kilometer. Building a highway costs up to €70 million per kilometer (2014). These costs don't even include the respective land acquisition prices for the right-of-way.
Early adopter advantage: Europe can secure technological leadership – or leave it to others.
Advantage: Industrial series production instead of individual projects.
Economically sustainable: Low operating costs, secure revenue streams – ticket and transport fees, plus solar power grid feed-in. >> Solar power is free.
However, the high pressure to modernize hampers the railway lines bound to their routes – with a declining, remarkably cumbersome residual value. In comparison, the railway track infrastructure, consisting of the superstructure (rails, sleepers, and ballast), is far more significant; it is bulky and also fragments the landscape.
TWS is setting the course for an economically sound realignment.
What are TubeWay's business aspects? Put another way: what existential tipping points fundamentally affect rail transport, which is still considered moderate today? How many tons does a high-speed locomotive weigh, comparatively speaking? And how expensive are the routes, superstructure, locomotives, and train sets?
Growth regions: EU, India, China, Africa with high infrastructure needs.
Addressable market: European public transport + freight logistics > €200 billion/year.
ESG investments: > €1 trillion in sustainable funds; high demand for green infrastructure.
PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) - Green Bonds & ESG financing.
Cost structure: One-time high CAPEX (construction, R&D) - Moderate OPEX (maintenance, virtually free energy).
Risks: If Europe does not adopt TWS and similar concepts, other regions could scale these technologies first. That would be a double loss: technological and geopolitical.
Part 2:
TECHNOLOGY from TWS / TubeWaySolar - TW-SiS
Illustrated here is the "TWS as Sit-in-Surf" (TW-SiS) system. Its connections would be of great benefit to both urban and rural areas as a regional transport network.
TubeWay is fundamentally designed as a bidirectional track system, with flexible spacers guiding the two sections parallel to each other. Support cables, interconnected tubes, and arched piers ensure the necessary safety for the track sections, which are tensioned for an average travel height of 7 meters.
The bridge's structural design supports a bidirectional track, the sliding units, and the utility line. The tension cables are ultralight fiber ropes from Teufelberger's HyperTEN+ Pro-P or Trowis ChaRope®. They are stronger than steel, UV-stable, durable, water-repellent, cost-effective, and, most importantly, 80% lighter than steel.
Each arched pier bears approximately 30 tons of track weight plus an average of up to 9 tons of traffic load. These slender arched piers, suspended by vibration-free tension cable technology, keep their sections on track. The arched piers are spaced approximately 90 meters apart.
"In comparison, the railway track bed, consisting of the superstructure with rails, sleepers, and ballast, is far more substantial, bulky, and also fragments the landscape."
Individually, the approximately 22-meter-long track modules are manufactured as sandwich tubes. An approximately 1.2 mm thick stainless steel sheet would be used for the outer shell. For the inner tube, galvanized steel sheet in the form of a spiral tube* is sufficient. With an insulating intermediate layer of XPS rigid foam, the two tubes are joined to form a highly rigid, lightweight unit that withstands all terrain and weather conditions.
The SiS system requires an inner diameter of approximately 2 meters. The pipe sockets carry an O-ring; together, they also form the expansion joint.
* To produce straight modules, the parallel edges of the sheet metal strips are joined to each other with a fold. Different curve radii are created by welding along their respective seams to form highly resilient pipe bends.
The windowless cabins offer passengers a choice of music, short films, or a landscape displayed on a monitor. Luggage can be stored under the seat and in the overhead compartment. With a fold-down table and internet access, the approximately 70 seats made of lightweight bamboo offer modern travel comfort. The three-seat rows are ventilated with pleasantly tempered fresh air from the filtered air conditioning system. Two meters of interior space are dedicated to accommodating strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs.
The interior cabin floor consists of 3 mm aluminum checker plate with a cork backing. The chassis of the "gliding units" are made of honeycomb-structured aircraft aluminum; a comparison to an empty aluminum beverage can would be apt, and the light weight is also consistent.
Each of the cabin's vertical panels incorporates emergency exit sliding doors and noise reduction units.
No onboard restrooms are available on the regional short-distance network; however, restrooms are available at the larger stations.
The TW SiS offers cargo capacity of approximately 24 pallets per capsule, with a total freight weight of about 5 tons. Freight forwarders deliver their goods to the designated TW connection terminals. Hazardous goods, as well as heavy and container transport, remain the responsibility of road freight by truck and the established rail park-and-rail system. They cannot and may not be transported on the TW.
To ensure more consistent utilization of the TW network, freight carriers receive a slightly lower per-kilometer rate during the night hours from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The freight division will focus on the more profitable e-truck fleet and, subsequently, on "future truck logistics handling."
Each cabin or capsule (abbreviated "C/C") glides toward its pre-coded destination in a continuous airflow. It glides on a roughly 1-meter-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel track lined with cork. The soles of the C/Cs are equipped with 2-meter-long Teflon sliding strips** running lengthwise along the direction of travel. These 6 mm high and 30 mm wide strips form a recess for 3 mm wide and 3 mm high rim skids. These skids, in constant, rapid contact with the track, support each load, up to 200 kg.
In addition, a 1 mm air nozzle, fed by supply lines embedded in the cork, opens into each sliding strip. Connected to an electric onboard compressor, these supply lines deliver a "glide-optimizing compressed air supply." Each of the Teflon sliding strips, also lined with cork, is attached to the cabin floor with steel screws.
Together, they lift the K/K from dry sliding friction into "a permanent micro-floating." The compressor's air pressure output, which is linked to speed and load, achieves a total An optimized under-padding system. The coefficient of sliding friction is extremely low, at approximately 0.01.
To ensure constant airflow under "hermetic conditions," a series of felt seals surrounds each K/K cylinder. These seals are open towards the sliding channel and, as multi-chamber profiles, form rotating air roller rings as they move rapidly along the inner wall of the tube. The overpressure dynamics of these "self-feeding air rollers" prevent any bypass of the propellant (these are also present as sections between the invert sliding strips). This "feeding" occurs under its own self-limiting mechanism and without direct contact with the tube wall. The electric locomotives are also surrounded by several such seals.
The TW Sit-in-surf and TW Intercity trains, with connections to major passenger transport hubs and freight distribution centers, offer a high overall transport density. Within the city, the tracks run just above the buildings and partially rest on them.
** What is PTFE (Teflon)? It possesses an unusual combination of outstanding chemical, physical, and electrical properties that no other plastic has yet achieved. PTFE's temperature resistance ranges from -140°C to +260°C, and even up to +300°C for short periods. Teflon has a very low coefficient of friction; static friction is just as low as kinetic friction. Even the extremely heavy sarcophagus for the damaged Chernobyl reactor could only be moved using Teflon plates. Furthermore, compared to current rail wheels or rubber tires, Teflon is extremely cost-effective and lightweight.
*** The TW-SiS (tram-rail system) travels at a maximum speed of 85 km/h in urban areas and up to 220 km/h in regional areas. All dimensions given here are approximate and represent only the general concept.
Now to the propulsion system:
At predetermined intervals, the electric locomotive's propulsion housing pushes or pulls the associated cars. They move these cars through the pneumatic transmission of suction or pressure on their front and rear end shields. This "group guidance" in a continuous airflow gives the entire system a very smooth sliding motion.
The energy for the electric locomotives is supplied by solar panels that cover the pipe sections. Each electric locomotive carries up to 60 cars; the locomotive can also push and pull in reverse if necessary. Each locomotive has two drive wheels – one at the front and one at the rear – which are almost as large as the surrounding pipe. The pair of solid rubber-tired rim wheels can be made of carbon fiber or aircraft-grade aluminum.
The articulated electric locomotives, approximately 4.7 meters long, each follow their logistical operating procedure and, if necessary, switch to the opposite track via reversing loops or into standby loops.
The ideal train setup for the rail system is 5 to a maximum of 15 train sets per hour, as recorded at the measuring point.
All locomotives and train sets are equipped with articulated joints suitable for curve negotiation. They also all feature a centrally controlled, pneumatic "all-around brake." A steel sheet casing, open towards the sliding surface and covered with hard rubber, brakes by dissipating the heat generated by friction over a large area.
Speed changes occur in barely perceptible, smooth transitions. The electric locomotives are switched to the track speed designated for the respective train set, either from the track section or from the control center.
During deceleration, the excess air generated can be diverted via a connecting pipe bend to the acceleration side opposite; the energy from the deceleration is thus transferred as pneumatically lossless thrust.
In curves, the load weight follows its unimpeded momentum. Due to the absence of a center of gravity, the curves are "speed-independent and barely perceptible"; this "relaxed feeling" is naturally also experienced by all passengers. The sliding channels are more wide in this area. Thus, even cargo capsules – with their loads remaining unchanged – reach their designated logistics center.
Public stations are connected to the dynamic main flow as a bypass. At the station (usually located at or above existing traffic junctions), passengers boarding and alighting are transported by lift to track or ground level.
Arriving vehicles automatically decelerate to a standstill in the bypass section.
Before departure, the (permissible) weight of the gliding unit is weighed at each station, and the correct power output is set for the onboard compressor. The precise starting point for merging into the continuous flow of the main tube is also calculated. The cabin is launched into the parallel, separated bypass tube using a hydraulic push-start lever.
At the end of the station bypass (as at the entrance), there is a lock gate. There, a second lever catapult accelerates the vehicle (from the previously reached speed of 40 km/h) to the 65 km/h of the main flow. From that point onward, each cabin/cab is part of the main logistics control system. All lock gates operate as fast, double-leaf sliding doors.
Before the double-pipe section of a branch line, a long, rocker-like switch splits the flow. This switch directs the cabin toward its destination. For air volume control, each pipe is equipped with an air intake to regulate the current track demand.
On feeder lines, it becomes clear that a centrally controlled "zipper" system must be able to release excess air and draw in insufficient air. Thus, in some places, the pipe sections have both overpressure and underpressure valves (intakes) for air volume control. Turning loops and holding loops, among other things for centrally controlled, coordinated electric locomotive deployment, are also located within the TubeWay system.
... The complex, laminar-turbulent, and boundary-layer-separating flows that occur in TubeWaySolar naturally require highly qualified specialists in the overall planning of the pneumatic system – including those specializing in fluid mechanics ...
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Part 3.
TubeWaySolar-IC (InterCity)
... future station logo? ...
#The Future of Energy and Mobility is Solar !
The TW-IC uses the same technology as the TW-SiS system. It is designed as an international long-distance network connecting major cities – and therefore, the estimated cost per kilometer is roughly twice that of the TW-SiS expansion.
The sections, laid at an average height of 7 meters, consist of sandwich pipe modules approximately 17 meters long. The steel spiral pipes, also reinforced with XPS rigid foam, have an inner diameter of about 2.7 meters. This makes the pipelines weatherproof and able to withstand any terrain load. The pipe modules (each weighing approximately 6.5 tons) are connected by O-ring seals in their sliding sleeves and are supported by slender arched piers and vibration-free fiber rope tensioning technology.
With the Intercity Rail (IC) system, approximately 50 tons of track weight plus an average of 20 tons of travel load per arch support are borne over a 50-meter span between piers. These relatively low loads bridge greater distances than ever possible with conventional modes of transport.
In sensitive natural areas, the track is being extended using half-length modules. These are delivered by cargo helicopter, which suspends the respective pipe module for quick on-site grouting.
Up to 120 people per cabin or 12 tons in cargo transport capsules glide in a continuous airflow to their pre-coded destinations. Cameras project the view of the surroundings onto the monitor (or optionally, videos), offering panoramic views from the top of the IC.
Here, 30-meter-long K/K glide over 1.5-meter-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel tracks (similar to the TW-SiS). The now larger dimensions (from TW-SiS to TW-IC) have been developed specifically for technical adaptation.
The four seats per row in the TW-IC are arranged like in a coach. If necessary, there are approximately 20 standing places in the aisle. An onboard toilet is located near the exit.
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...and finally...
_ ...the municipal supply and disposal network - TWS-40...
...which requires a diameter of just 40 cm and transports loads weighing up to 16 kg, in 85 cm long capsules, at approximately 35 km/h to their respective recipients.
A flexible joint also ensures good maneuverability on the much tighter curves here. In principle, they glide to their destinations using the same transport technology as the larger transport vehicles.
This municipal supply and disposal network (TW-40) would be of great general benefit within our metropolitan areas – for example, for ordered groceries, official documents, food delivery, mail and parcel services, waste disposal, etc.
Businesses and private individuals could connect to the 40 cm network as subscribers – similar to district heating.
Laid under the sidewalk (in covered shafts), it would be routed up into the buildings. Regional and urban "40s postal network customers" each send their order to the corresponding capsules to the recipients....
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Regarding the solar PV films:
The covering of two-thirds of both pipe surfaces with ventilated PV thin film* provides the pipelines with enormous, free electricity gains year after year, as well as cooling shading of the pipelines and their cooling/cooling components. These lightweight "solar hoods" are applied at 10 cm intervals on their own backing plate; they are left open at the top with a narrow air outlet. They supply the entire system with its 24-hour electricity demand and – even with the shorter, diffuse daylight available in winter – still generate a surplus of electricity for other customers.
The lower photo shows an example of the vertical preparation of bifacial solar cell strips from "Sunbooster Vertical" on the corresponding H+S fence. This approach could also be considered for our TW tubes.
Only the sun provides electricity without a bill!
Surplus electricity generated during the day can, for example, be fed into the grid to provide the necessary power for nighttime mobility**. The constantly available surplus can also be supplied to consumers located along the route at favorable rates. Every year, the PV cells and tubes are treated with a nano-coating for a self-cleaning lotus-like beading effect. Snow loads slide off this smooth coating to both sides due to the reflective heat from the dark PV surfaces.
The internal electrical supply is received by a contact brush from a flat conductor installed in the top of the tube. This contact brush is pulled by a spring-loaded push rod at the rear by the K/K system and the E-Locks, which are the main consumers.
* OLED and CIGS films are lightweight, have a sufficiently long lifespan, and do not pose a waste problem. Currently, suppliers such as ASCA.com, Heliatek, FirstSolar, and Nanosolar offer good value for money with their AgAs, OLEDs, DSSCs, PSCs, or CIGS thin-film cells. They are cuttable, lightweight, self-adhesive, frameless, and easily recyclable.
** Regarding the issue of a generally increasing need for energy storage of surplus electricity, ADELE, for example, offers a compressed air energy storage (CAES) power plant solution. or www.AirHES.com: in terms of electricity generation, it works just like conventional hydropower, but without its disadvantages: the latter requires considerable investment in the construction of dams, occupies large areas under the reservoir, and is usually located far from the consumer. These shortcomings, resulting from the relatively low head with large volumes of water, are typical for most lowland rivers. Nevertheless, heads of 2 km, as used by AirHES for cloud placement, are not uncommon.
Thin films are more affordable than rigid, heavy silicon panels. They utilize a broader light spectrum and therefore, even in unfavorable weather conditions, achieve nearly the same power output as silicon cells, which only generate electricity in direct sunlight.
Physical aspects of TubeWaySolar
The speed of conventional means of transport is determined by their ability to overcome a certain amount of rolling resistance and air resistance caused by the air. At high speeds, the drag force predominates. It is determined by the square of the speed of the vehicle, the density of the fluid (air), the drag coefficient and the cross-sectional area (Fd = 0.5 x density x speed² x Cd x A).
The energy required to generate the air flow can be estimated using the calculation "tube cross-sectional area times speed times pressure required". A value between Hagen-Poiseull's equation and Reynold's number applies per glider.
In TubeWay: If a pressure of only one tenth of an atmosphere (= 0.1 kp/cm² or a 10 cm high water column) acts on the rear of our cabin with a circular area of 3.2 m², a force of 3200 kp already acts on the cabin in the direction of movement; this would accelerate a weight of 3 tonnes to over 75 km/h in 5 seconds!
In TubeWay, air is the drive medium, which only experiences a certain reduction in force due to lateral tube wall friction. The resulting lateral flow in relation to the tube wall is even much lower than, for example, the flow of water in a garden hose; at least that's what my layman's mind says.
Also, small boats and giant ships behave physically; the same when crossing calm water; in the same way, air currents pass through pipes of different sizes.
Any resulting noise development must be adequately countered with anti-noise. In other words, with sound that is artificially generated in order to cancel out sound by means of destructive interference. To do this, a counter-signal is generated that corresponds to the interfering sound but has the opposite polarity. I have been waiting for clarifying criticism on this for years.
Whether sharkskin paint, which increases the electricity yield of wind turbines, should be used on the inner tube wall of TW also needs to be researched.
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** Michael Walde, Dip. Ing. for high vacuum and thin-film application technology wrote to me on 18 November 2017 via LinkedIn:
I think the idea is very good. I once did the calculation with thin-film solar surfaces on the transport pipes (roughly) and came to the astonishing conclusion that with an assumed distance of 400 km and a space utilisation of 50% on the pipe diameter, immense amounts of energy would be available: at least about 1.6 million square metres for solar use.
With an annual solar average of 1200 kWh / m² and 15% efficiency, 105 W / m², i.e. 168 kW, are summarised on the calculated area of radiant power.
An electric locomotive requires around 15 kWh / km [DB AG]. With a journey time of 3 hours and a distance of 400 km, the average power per locomotive would be 1500 kW.
The amount of energy generated would therefore be sufficient to operate several locomotives on the fictitious route; the tubular locomotives should also run even more efficiently than a conventional electric locomotive. Interesting, even if my assumed values reflect the facts in a very simplified way. ==============
TubeWaySolar offers technical solutions to the following problems of modern transport:
# Unlike maglev trains, TubeWaySolar does not pollute the health of passengers or neighbouring residents with the harmful micro-Tesla radiation* of strong magnets
# CO2 emissions, noise, friction losses and the use of fossil fuels are completely eliminated with "TW"
# TubeWaySolar bypasses the air conditions that prevail outdoors, where resistance increases to the square with increasing speed
# TubeWaySolar effortlessly overcomes heights and crosses rivers and valleys with ease. This hermetic system is almost completely spared the increased effort normally required for travelling uphill due to the subsequent downward gliding of the same loads
# high costs for the maintenance of roads, motorways and the mostly empty railway tracks
# Emissions of environmental toxins and noise; sickening effects
# waste of valuable fossil and other
# high and short-lived material costs and
# high space requirements for transport
# Accident frequency and consequential damage
# Loss of time due to traffic jams and stress
> TubeWay's therefore offer the solution to the climate-necessary traffic turnaround! < ==============
How safe is TWS in operation and as a structure?
TubeWay networks, like railway networks, are governed by both nationally and supra-regionally separate regulatory bodies. They also have uniform standards for route logistics, network maintenance, and upkeep. In this sense, all TubeWay networks should also have a globally standardized diameter.
As a future mode of transport, TubeWay would be equipped with a new, dedicated network control logistics system. Featuring high-standard quantum-encrypted transport operations, it relies on laser radio and fiber optic telematics, as well as highly trained support and specialist personnel in all areas.
All system functions are secured by multiple self-monitoring computer systems and by dedicated emergency power storage and generators for extended power outages.
Only passengers with a personal, active TubeWay value card can access the network and use it within their booked routes. The tube tunnels are secured against unauthorized access, allowing only entry and exit to the gliding cabins or elevators. Each platform is equipped with video recordings and at least one supervisor on site.
Each cabin has a two-way intercom system and fire blankets. For system safety, the tracks are equipped with pressure anomaly detection at specific points and have sound and motion detectors at sensitive locations, and potentially night vision equipment.
The defined high-security programs in the logistics center operate under constant supervision. The highest decision-making authority remains with human system monitors. Any necessary "braking" of a section is initiated by the regionally responsible control center as a localized diversion. AI applications currently play a secondary role.
If the braking command for a track section is activated, this section is avoided via a diversion system – using reversing loops, a station, or a parking loop. If disembarking becomes necessary, instructions are issued from the responsible control center. Repair and/or rescue teams are briefed and immediately dispatched to the scene, equipped accordingly.
The front and rear of the cabins have emergency exit doors that can be opened in case of an emergency; at each pier arch, the track offers access via transversely adjustable ladder rungs.
Units beyond a disabled zone simply leave it; however, those immediately in the zone are stopped and pneumatically returned to the last passing place. This ensures that transport operations across the entire network remain unaffected.
The train control system's specifications do not permit collisions. The electric locomotive and the units would be braked by the control center beforehand.
Even in the event of flooding, storms, or moderate earthquakes, the transversely movable O-rings between the pipe modules provide the operating tracks with sufficient lateral movement and subsequently offer favorable conditions for recovery.Tram pier arches located near other ground traffic feature additional structural reinforcements to withstand potentially severe impacts.
At the ends of the extension, a turning loop directs traffic to the opposite direction. Hazardous goods will continue to be transported by road and the established rail park-and-rail system. They may not be transported in the TW (explosive and toxic goods - rail transport system).
All TW components will be serviced or replaced with new ones at predetermined intervals.
"If experts identify a problem that I haven't noticed or considered, their feedback would be helpful and gratefully received."
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ADMINISTRATION AT TUBEWAYSOLAR
For quick booking, a passenger taps their destination on the interactive touchscreen payment box at the terminal portal. There, their TW card is checked for balance and the identity of the cardholder. Upon arrival at the destination, the distance traveled is automatically recorded at the exit barrier.
In the freight sector, bookings are made online, and transport is handled as a freight forwarding service. The TW freight agency offers capsules for bulk goods, liquids, merchandise, and refrigerated goods. It manages these capsules and also handles the corresponding loading logistics.
A transport capsule in the TW-SiS network offers a payload capacity of 5 tons or 15 Euro pallets – in the TW-IC network, 11 tons, providing loading capacity for up to 22 Euro pallets.
All capsules can be emptied via a chute; sorting loading grippers are used for loading and unloading. Even small-scale freight handling is managed efficiently from a transport logistics perspective.
Freight carriers, ports, and factories can purchase or lease their own access tunnels from the operator. These cost-effective transport options lead to network expansion and the development of correspondingly adapted loading terminals.
Private freight forwarding companies cooperate with the TW freight terminals and, through their tariff-based usage, indirectly contribute to the scaling of the TW network. The TW station stops, however, are the responsibility of public passenger transport. ___________________
The TW-IC uses the same technology as the TW-SiS system. It is designed as an international long-distance network connecting major cities – and therefore, the estimated cost per kilometer is roughly twice that of the TW-SiS expansion.
The sections, laid at an average height of 7 meters, consist of sandwich pipe modules approximately 17 meters long. The steel spiral pipes, also reinforced with XPS rigid foam, have an inner diameter of about 2.7 meters. This makes the pipelines weatherproof and able to withstand any terrain load. The pipe modules (each weighing approximately 6.5 tons) are connected by O-ring seals in their sliding sleeves and are supported by slender arched piers and vibration-free fiber rope tensioning technology.
With the Intercity Rail (IC) system, approximately 50 tons of track weight plus an average of 20 tons of travel load per arch support are borne over a 50-meter span between piers. These relatively low loads bridge greater distances than ever possible with conventional modes of transport.
In sensitive natural areas, the track is being extended using half-length modules. These are delivered by cargo helicopter, which suspends the respective pipe module for quick on-site grouting.
Up to 120 people per cabin or 12 tons in cargo transport capsules glide in a continuous airflow to their pre-coded destinations. Cameras project the view of the surroundings onto the monitor (or optionally, videos), offering panoramic views from the top of the IC.
Here, 30-meter-long K/K railcars glide over 1.5-meter-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel tracks (similar to the TW-SiS). The now larger dimensions (from TW-SiS to TW-IC) have been developed specifically for technical adaptation.
The four seats per row in the TW-IC are arranged like in a coach. If necessary, there are approximately 20 standing places in the aisle. An onboard toilet is located near the exit. ______________________
The urban supply and disposal network - TW 40
Control centres of future TubeWays (example image)
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Further Business advantages with TubeWaySolar
# Reliability in terms of departure and arrival times for deliveries and passenger transport
# Even an airport feeder route can act as a seed for growing TW networks
# 100% solar, i.e. fuel-free and resource-saving eco-market advantage
# High acceptance - sympathy factor - low resistance from neighbouring residents
# Areas that implement TW can enjoy considerable benefits in future
# Enormous savings potential compared to traditional transport
# Good ratio of investment, amortisation and profit
# Relatively low costs for operation and maintenance
# High prestige value, high safety standards
Should future transport be solar?
Absolutely! With TubeWaySolar - as a broad-based transport system - we can prolong the preservation of the precious resources of crude oil and natural gas. We also need our crude oil for an ecological future for many applications that we are not yet aware of.
Our mineral oil is far too valuable for climate-damaging exhaust fumes, plastic waste and road asphalt! TubeWay specifically reduces oil imports, climate-damaging pollutant levels, noise and traffic accidents.
Hydrogen, for example, always has to be pre-produced by means of expensive water splitting using electricity. Other options are also not the best from an energy point of view.
TubeWay helps to reduce the CO2 pollution caused by fossil electricity and the dangers of electricity generated by nuclear power plants.
The transition to renewables can be to everyone's advantage. After all, it should and must enable our descendants to live. After all, our biosphere is actually in danger globally!
Does TubeWaySolar still have an upcycling use in the end?
Yes, after their service as cabins and tube modules, they still serve as:
# housing estates staggered into pyramids
# weather-protected cycle paths
# green house tunnels
# remodelled living spaces
# as storage volumes and much more.
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Comparisons with the state of the art
An overview of alternative and innovative forms of mobility and drive technologies can be found in the link:
http://www.faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans >> list of 100+ systems >> tubeway; and at
https://www.buch-der-synergie.de/c_neu_html/c_11_12_neu_mobile_prt_04_kapsel.ht
There you will find a collection of mobility approaches from all over the world, some of which have already been realised. TubeWay is also evident in these. The articles on pneumatic tube systems in Wikipedia are also interesting.
TW can be developed based on the pneumatic tube system that has been tried and tested for 160 years. TW transports passengers as well as goods using the all-moving solar-electric internal drive.
TubeWay wants to avoid linear motors with magnet-induced track equipment due to the unresolved issue of compatibility with their high microtesla use, the limited availability of magnet material, weight reasons and high noise levels.
We are currently in a lively discussion process in which suitable alternatives with responsibility for people and nature are sought.
TubeWay possibly stands for the decision in favour of technically simple, ecological mobility. The global shortage of resources and energy is also creating a need for rapid alternative solutions, including in the transport sector as a whole.
History: The original vacuum tube transport system was proposed by George Medhurst as early as 1799. Michael Verne, son of Jules, improved it in 1888 as a pneumatic tube transport. In 1904, Robert Goddard described a Vactrain Maglev; and soon afterwards, an underground and purely pneumatic test track paid for by a banker was already transporting people in New York - but this was not extended.
+ + + + +
Written reference from the: Vienna Environmental Protection Department - MA22 Vienna, 14/02/2013
Dear Mr Thalhammer
Your TubeWay appears to be a modern, sustainable, ecological and therefore promising mobility solution. TubeWaySolar could - without competing with current means of transport - form new urban extensions.
If the results are favourable, it would be quite realistic to implement the system, initially on test routes, to gain practical experience.
As Austria is known worldwide for technical innovations, we believe that your idea has good chances of being realised, especially in times of energy price uncertainty.
In this context, we would like to draw your attention to the development bank (AWS) and EU funding programmes which, in your case, could provide a financial support for the in-depth studies required in your case.
We wish you every success in realising your already realistic mobility concept.
Yours sincerely, Günter Rössler
Vienna Environmental Protection Department - MA 22
Department: Traffic, Noise and Geodata
A- 1200 Vienna, Dresdner Straße 45
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I hope that the TWS implementers do not risk anything with BIT and similar. Coins, so that all investors have real security with regard to their investment! Cryptos are ultimately just a pseudo-current darknet.
We need to encourage high finance and big industry to switch to sustainability and the preservation of our globally shared foundations!
Using TubeWaySolar as a broad-based transport system, we can also extend the availability of the precious resources of crude oil/natural gas. We will still need our fossil reserves for many things in the long term. However, our mineral oil is far too valuable for climate-damaging exhaust fumes and road asphalt!
Just as our heart manages to supply each of our body cells with life energy, we should be able to create new solar transport arteries that connect us and enable us to ensure our general mobility.
==============
It remains to be seen whether Elon Musk's Hyperloop will provide a broadly feasible general solution to our future need for general mobility. Hyperloop-One, Virgin Hyperloop and HTT have been running an investment rip-off for years with ever new Maglev success stories in technically vague 3D short videos.
This and more is well traced in www.buch-der-synergie.de under "Hyperloop".
*https://www.ingenieur.de/technik/fachbereiche/verkehr/china-plant-magnetschwebebahnen-in-zwei-grossstaedten/ and spexialy in: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1828935#abstract
SIEMENS, Bombardier and Alstom could join forces to take the major Industry 4.0 task of TWS from the planning stage to TWS expansion!
===================
Why am I publishing these wasted approaches to patent-free prior art? Firstly, patent protection does not extend to urgently needed environmental protection inventions if, as here, overriding public rights are affected. Secondly, patent rights and their defence can practically only be realised by large companies and almost never by private individuals. And thirdly, published ideas can be disseminated more quickly as "open source". You and any company can therefore help these approaches to market maturity.
Unfortunately, the Geneva-based World Patent Office and national patent offices also ow patented property claims on medicines, seeds, genetic creations - even on living things - as "lawful"! These encroachments show the extent to which the field of "intellectual property protection" has already become purely capitalist manipulation.
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See my video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=19YDKukm2vc&t=18s
See also : www.youtube.com >> tubewaysolar - for a clea future - and in: https://www.buch-der-synergie.de
Images and 3D video - by Petrus Gartler, Graz - Designerei / 2003 and Pexels and Pixabay
© 2002 - Michael Thalhammer; last updated 08.2024
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ChatGPT:
The research project "TubeWaySolar" presents an innovative concept for an emission-free, solar-powered transportation system that could serve as an alternative to conventional modes of transport such as road and rail, as well as the Hyperloop.
🌞 What is TubeWaySolar?
TubeWaySolar is a concept for a pneumatically powered transportation system that runs in stable, insulated tubes. The tubes are covered with photovoltaic films that convert solar energy into electricity. The system is designed to enable efficient and environmentally friendly passenger and freight transport.
🚄 Comparison with Hyperloop and Maglev
Hyperloop: A high-speed transportation system that is intended to operate in nearly vacuum-sealed tubes at speeds of over 1,000 km/h. However, current studies show that Hyperloop is not yet fully conceived, and many technical components are in the early stages of development. See: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1828935#abstract >>
... the Hyperloop concept, its pod-speed competitions, and current project developments have recently attracted considerable attention. This article evaluates Hyperloop transportation technology through a systems analysis of its needs and compares it with existing commercial airlines, high-speed rail, and magnetic levitation lines. Finally, it highlights the risks to the further development of Hyperloop projects and the need for more transparent research ...
TubeWaySolar: Relies on a combination of pneumatics and solar energy to provide a sustainable and cost-effective alternative. With speeds of up to 300 km/h and a capacity comparable to a six-lane highway, it represents a viable solution for the future of transportation.
🌍 Conclusion
TubeWaySolar offers a promising, environmentally friendly alternative to existing transportation systems. Compared to Hyperloop and Maglev, it is characterized by lower complexity, lower costs, and faster implementation. The combination of solar energy and pneumatics could make a significant contribution to sustainable mobility of the future.
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T U B E
W A Y
S O L A R # The Future of Energy and Mobility is Solar
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>> T U B E - W A Y - S O L A R <<
Michael Thalhammer
= = DEVELOPMENT STUDY FOR A SOLAR-PNEUMATIC GUIDEWAY TRANSPORT SYSTEM = =
__________TUBEWAYSOLAR__________
I N S H O R T :
It was around the turn of the millennium when the idea of a pneumatic tube system became clear to me, connecting it to a modern transportation system. TubeWaySolar was born!
TubeWay could be the answer to many of the challenges of our time: firstly, to ensure long-term, affordable mobility, and secondly, to further reduce the environmental impact of traffic, including CO2, noise, and pollution.
It was clear to me that the pneumatic 24/7 drive system should be powered exclusively by the sun. Photovoltaic films applied to the tubes generate an abundance of electricity – feedable into the power market – solely from our daylight.
TubeWay thus glides autonomously, without resistance, quietly, and emission-free in durable, low-maintenance tube sections and has the capacity of a six-lane highway. Speeds of around 300 kilometers per hour can be achieved.
TWS routes run on elegant elevated tracks at an average height of seven meters. TubeWay requires very little land. Naturally developed habitats are preserved for people, animals, and agricultural use.
TubeWay provides hub connections and structurally supports logistical services for passenger and freight transport.
Safety is paramount at TubeWay: the entire network is controlled and monitored via computer-aided control centers.
TubeWaySolar helps advance the energy and mobility transition, thus protecting our unique planet before the "window of opportunity for climate action" closes. We fully embrace this responsibility! We must preserve our shared habitat with all our strength and wisdom before reaching critical tipping points.*
* "Before critical tipping points are reached, it is crucial to keep global warming as low as possible, as irreversible and self-reinforcing changes in the climate system are triggered once these thresholds are reached" (Source: Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)).
TWS is technically unrelated to any of this. "Hyperloops" are a common phenomenon – the sobering Hyperloop analysis can be found here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1828935#abstract
See also my video here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=19YDKukm2vc&t=18s
____________________
Image of a modern pneumatic tube system. In 1819, the Scottish engineer William Murdoch demonstrably conducted a series of experiments with compressed air and developed the first pneumatic communication system, which later became known as pneumatic tubes. TubeWaySolar is, in some respects, still quite similar to a pneumatic tube system, even technically.
>>The following sections will discuss the key business aspects, as well as the technical functions and their system security in more detail:
Part 1
What are the business aspects of TubeWaySolar?
The transport revolution requires new business models that are both profitable AND sustainable. The TWS transport infrastructure sells its surplus solar power to the grid via a "solar-integrated transport corridor." This allows TubeWay to maintain its own energy supply free of charge AND position itself as a major electricity provider.
While some upfront investments and carefully planned implementation steps are necessary for TWS's mobility service, once established, investors and operators could generate consistently secure profits. For example, the extensive technical expertise of Siemens Mobility, Alstom, ÖBB, and the EU infrastructure can be combined to achieve success through TubeWay. TubeWaySolar—as a particularly efficient complement to existing modes of transport—paves the way for an economically and ecologically sound restructuring.
The market for public transport and freight logistics in Europe is worth over €200 billion annually. TubeWay aims to establish its sustainable contribution with low operating costs, new revenue streams (tickets, transport fees, solar power sales), and its high scalability across all locations. This would simultaneously create a variety of business sectors. For example, the legal structure could be such that the pipelines are nationally owned, the solar energy is supplied by a public limited company, and the vehicle fleet is under the jurisdiction of a public administration. Several hybrid models are possible.
Europe has THE opportunity to secure outstanding technological leadership with TubeWay – or to lose it to other regions. TubeWay-Mobility has the potential to revitalize key segments of our market and working world. This creates a win-win situation for customers, operators, and our immediate environment.
Expertise from investment, EU infrastructure planning, and the relevant industries is needed. Now, a suitable capital consortium with an affinity for EU policy and major industry is required.
Truly reliable figures are rare for large-scale projects, and I cannot offer any here either – however: In the preliminary technical development phase, the small 40 cm network or the 190 cm SiS network can be built with low financial risk. These initial networks will also generate revenue for the large IC network through a phased financing plan.
Oil crises and rising energy costs do not affect TubeWaySolar; in fact, they indirectly even fuel its growth. However, the constant increase in CO2 emissions (climate change) also demands immediate action! TubeWaySolar would be its most direct way to combat this problem. Limiting factors.
Global growth regions urgently need sustainable infrastructure. TubeWaySolar can unleash its dual potential here: CO₂ savings in the gigaton range CO2 AND new economic prospects. But the question remains: Who will take this path first – Europe or other regions of the world?
Whoever scales up first in TWS will have a global advantage!
Control centers of future TubeWays (example image)With FinTech + Industry 4.0 Rail + EU infrastructure project, this way out of the climate trap can be achieved.
Market – Competitors – Strategy
Railway lines cost (in 2017) an average of about €27 million per kilometer. Building a highway costs up to €70 million per kilometer (2014). These costs don't even include the respective land acquisition prices for the right-of-way.
Early adopter advantage: Europe can secure technological leadership – or leave it to others.
Advantage: Industrial series production instead of individual projects.
Economically sustainable: Low operating costs, secure revenue streams – ticket and transport fees, plus solar power grid feed-in. >> Solar power is free.
However, the high pressure to modernize hampers the railway lines bound to their routes – with a declining, remarkably cumbersome residual value. In comparison, the railway track infrastructure, consisting of the superstructure (rails, sleepers, and ballast), is far more significant; it is bulky and also fragments the landscape.
TWS is setting the course for an economically sound realignment.
What are TubeWay's business aspects? Put another way: what existential tipping points fundamentally affect rail transport, which is still considered moderate today? How many tons does a high-speed locomotive weigh, comparatively speaking? And how expensive are the routes, superstructure, locomotives, and train sets?
Growth regions: EU, India, China, Africa with high infrastructure needs.
Addressable market: European public transport + freight logistics > €200 billion/year.
ESG investments: > €1 trillion in sustainable funds; high demand for green infrastructure.
PPP (Public-Private Partnerships) - Green Bonds & ESG financing.
Cost structure: One-time high CAPEX (construction, R&D) - Moderate OPEX (maintenance, virtually free energy).
Risks: If Europe does not adopt TWS and similar concepts, other regions could scale these technologies first. That would be a double loss: technological and geopolitical.
Part 2:
TECHNOLOGY from TWS / TubeWaySolar - TW-SiS
Illustrated here is the "TWS as Sit-in-Surf" (TW-SiS) system. Its connections would be of great benefit to both urban and rural areas as a regional transport network.
TubeWay is fundamentally designed as a bidirectional track system, with flexible spacers guiding the two sections parallel to each other. Support cables, interconnected tubes, and arched piers ensure the necessary safety for the track sections, which are tensioned for an average travel height of 7 meters.The bridge's structural design supports a bidirectional track, the sliding units, and the utility line. The tension cables are ultralight fiber ropes from Teufelberger's HyperTEN+ Pro-P or Trowis ChaRope®. They are stronger than steel, UV-stable, durable, water-repellent, cost-effective, and, most importantly, 80% lighter than steel.
Each arched pier bears approximately 30 tons of track weight plus an average of up to 9 tons of traffic load. These slender arched piers, suspended by vibration-free tension cable technology, keep their sections on track. The arched piers are spaced approximately 90 meters apart.
"In comparison, the railway track bed, consisting of the superstructure with rails, sleepers, and ballast, is far more substantial, bulky, and also fragments the landscape."
Individually, the approximately 22-meter-long track modules are manufactured as sandwich tubes. An approximately 1.2 mm thick stainless steel sheet would be used for the outer shell. For the inner tube, galvanized steel sheet in the form of a spiral tube* is sufficient. With an insulating intermediate layer of XPS rigid foam, the two tubes are joined to form a highly rigid, lightweight unit that withstands all terrain and weather conditions.
The SiS system requires an inner diameter of approximately 2 meters. The pipe sockets carry an O-ring; together, they also form the expansion joint.
* To produce straight modules, the parallel edges of the sheet metal strips are joined to each other with a fold. Different curve radii are created by welding along their respective seams to form highly resilient pipe bends.
The windowless cabins offer passengers a choice of music, short films, or a landscape displayed on a monitor. Luggage can be stored under the seat and in the overhead compartment. With a fold-down table and internet access, the approximately 70 seats made of lightweight bamboo offer modern travel comfort. The three-seat rows are ventilated with pleasantly tempered fresh air from the filtered air conditioning system. Two meters of interior space are dedicated to accommodating strollers, bicycles, and wheelchairs.
The interior cabin floor consists of 3 mm aluminum checker plate with a cork backing. The chassis of the "gliding units" are made of honeycomb-structured aircraft aluminum; a comparison to an empty aluminum beverage can would be apt, and the light weight is also consistent.
Each of the cabin's vertical panels incorporates emergency exit sliding doors and noise reduction units.
No onboard restrooms are available on the regional short-distance network; however, restrooms are available at the larger stations.
The TW SiS offers cargo capacity of approximately 24 pallets per capsule, with a total freight weight of about 5 tons. Freight forwarders deliver their goods to the designated TW connection terminals. Hazardous goods, as well as heavy and container transport, remain the responsibility of road freight by truck and the established rail park-and-rail system. They cannot and may not be transported on the TW.
To ensure more consistent utilization of the TW network, freight carriers receive a slightly lower per-kilometer rate during the night hours from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m. The freight division will focus on the more profitable e-truck fleet and, subsequently, on "future truck logistics handling."
Each cabin or capsule (abbreviated "C/C") glides toward its pre-coded destination in a continuous airflow. It glides on a roughly 1-meter-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel track lined with cork. The soles of the C/Cs are equipped with 2-meter-long Teflon sliding strips** running lengthwise along the direction of travel. These 6 mm high and 30 mm wide strips form a recess for 3 mm wide and 3 mm high rim skids. These skids, in constant, rapid contact with the track, support each load, up to 200 kg.
In addition, a 1 mm air nozzle, fed by supply lines embedded in the cork, opens into each sliding strip. Connected to an electric onboard compressor, these supply lines deliver a "glide-optimizing compressed air supply." Each of the Teflon sliding strips, also lined with cork, is attached to the cabin floor with steel screws.
Together, they lift the K/K from dry sliding friction into "a permanent micro-floating." The compressor's air pressure output, which is linked to speed and load, achieves a total An optimized under-padding system. The coefficient of sliding friction is extremely low, at approximately 0.01.
To ensure constant airflow under "hermetic conditions," a series of felt seals surrounds each K/K cylinder. These seals are open towards the sliding channel and, as multi-chamber profiles, form rotating air roller rings as they move rapidly along the inner wall of the tube. The overpressure dynamics of these "self-feeding air rollers" prevent any bypass of the propellant (these are also present as sections between the invert sliding strips). This "feeding" occurs under its own self-limiting mechanism and without direct contact with the tube wall. The electric locomotives are also surrounded by several such seals.
The TW Sit-in-surf and TW Intercity trains, with connections to major passenger transport hubs and freight distribution centers, offer a high overall transport density. Within the city, the tracks run just above the buildings and partially rest on them.
** What is PTFE (Teflon)? It possesses an unusual combination of outstanding chemical, physical, and electrical properties that no other plastic has yet achieved. PTFE's temperature resistance ranges from -140°C to +260°C, and even up to +300°C for short periods. Teflon has a very low coefficient of friction; static friction is just as low as kinetic friction. Even the extremely heavy sarcophagus for the damaged Chernobyl reactor could only be moved using Teflon plates. Furthermore, compared to current rail wheels or rubber tires, Teflon is extremely cost-effective and lightweight.
*** The TW-SiS (tram-rail system) travels at a maximum speed of 85 km/h in urban areas and up to 220 km/h in regional areas. All dimensions given here are approximate and represent only the general concept.
Now to the propulsion system:
At predetermined intervals, the electric locomotive's propulsion housing pushes or pulls the associated cars. They move these cars through the pneumatic transmission of suction or pressure on their front and rear end shields. This "group guidance" in a continuous airflow gives the entire system a very smooth sliding motion.
The energy for the electric locomotives is supplied by solar panels that cover the pipe sections. Each electric locomotive carries up to 60 cars; the locomotive can also push and pull in reverse if necessary. Each locomotive has two drive wheels – one at the front and one at the rear – which are almost as large as the surrounding pipe. The pair of solid rubber-tired rim wheels can be made of carbon fiber or aircraft-grade aluminum.
The articulated electric locomotives, approximately 4.7 meters long, each follow their logistical operating procedure and, if necessary, switch to the opposite track via reversing loops or into standby loops.
The ideal train setup for the rail system is 5 to a maximum of 15 train sets per hour, as recorded at the measuring point.
All locomotives and train sets are equipped with articulated joints suitable for curve negotiation. They also all feature a centrally controlled, pneumatic "all-around brake." A steel sheet casing, open towards the sliding surface and covered with hard rubber, brakes by dissipating the heat generated by friction over a large area.
Speed changes occur in barely perceptible, smooth transitions. The electric locomotives are switched to the track speed designated for the respective train set, either from the track section or from the control center.
During deceleration, the excess air generated can be diverted via a connecting pipe bend to the acceleration side opposite; the energy from the deceleration is thus transferred as pneumatically lossless thrust.
In curves, the load weight follows its unimpeded momentum. Due to the absence of a center of gravity, the curves are "speed-independent and barely perceptible"; this "relaxed feeling" is naturally also experienced by all passengers. The sliding channels are more wide in this area. Thus, even cargo capsules – with their loads remaining unchanged – reach their designated logistics center.
Public stations are connected to the dynamic main flow as a bypass. At the station (usually located at or above existing traffic junctions), passengers boarding and alighting are transported by lift to track or ground level.
Arriving vehicles automatically decelerate to a standstill in the bypass section.
Before departure, the (permissible) weight of the gliding unit is weighed at each station, and the correct power output is set for the onboard compressor. The precise starting point for merging into the continuous flow of the main tube is also calculated. The cabin is launched into the parallel, separated bypass tube using a hydraulic push-start lever.
At the end of the station bypass (as at the entrance), there is a lock gate. There, a second lever catapult accelerates the vehicle (from the previously reached speed of 40 km/h) to the 65 km/h of the main flow. From that point onward, each cabin/cab is part of the main logistics control system. All lock gates operate as fast, double-leaf sliding doors.
Before the double-pipe section of a branch line, a long, rocker-like switch splits the flow. This switch directs the cabin toward its destination. For air volume control, each pipe is equipped with an air intake to regulate the current track demand.
On feeder lines, it becomes clear that a centrally controlled "zipper" system must be able to release excess air and draw in insufficient air. Thus, in some places, the pipe sections have both overpressure and underpressure valves (intakes) for air volume control. Turning loops and holding loops, among other things for centrally controlled, coordinated electric locomotive deployment, are also located within the TubeWay system.
... The complex, laminar-turbulent, and boundary-layer-separating flows that occur in TubeWaySolar naturally require highly qualified specialists in the overall planning of the pneumatic system – including those specializing in fluid mechanics ...
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Part 3.
TubeWaySolar-IC (InterCity)
... future station logo? ...
#The Future of Energy and Mobility is Solar ! The TW-IC uses the same technology as the TW-SiS system. It is designed as an international long-distance network connecting major cities – and therefore, the estimated cost per kilometer is roughly twice that of the TW-SiS expansion.
The sections, laid at an average height of 7 meters, consist of sandwich pipe modules approximately 17 meters long. The steel spiral pipes, also reinforced with XPS rigid foam, have an inner diameter of about 2.7 meters. This makes the pipelines weatherproof and able to withstand any terrain load. The pipe modules (each weighing approximately 6.5 tons) are connected by O-ring seals in their sliding sleeves and are supported by slender arched piers and vibration-free fiber rope tensioning technology.
With the Intercity Rail (IC) system, approximately 50 tons of track weight plus an average of 20 tons of travel load per arch support are borne over a 50-meter span between piers. These relatively low loads bridge greater distances than ever possible with conventional modes of transport.
In sensitive natural areas, the track is being extended using half-length modules. These are delivered by cargo helicopter, which suspends the respective pipe module for quick on-site grouting.
Up to 120 people per cabin or 12 tons in cargo transport capsules glide in a continuous airflow to their pre-coded destinations. Cameras project the view of the surroundings onto the monitor (or optionally, videos), offering panoramic views from the top of the IC.
Here, 30-meter-long K/K glide over 1.5-meter-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel tracks (similar to the TW-SiS). The now larger dimensions (from TW-SiS to TW-IC) have been developed specifically for technical adaptation.
The four seats per row in the TW-IC are arranged like in a coach. If necessary, there are approximately 20 standing places in the aisle. An onboard toilet is located near the exit.
___________________________
...and finally...
_ ...the municipal supply and disposal network - TWS-40...
...which requires a diameter of just 40 cm and transports loads weighing up to 16 kg, in 85 cm long capsules, at approximately 35 km/h to their respective recipients.
A flexible joint also ensures good maneuverability on the much tighter curves here. In principle, they glide to their destinations using the same transport technology as the larger transport vehicles.
This municipal supply and disposal network (TW-40) would be of great general benefit within our metropolitan areas – for example, for ordered groceries, official documents, food delivery, mail and parcel services, waste disposal, etc.
Businesses and private individuals could connect to the 40 cm network as subscribers – similar to district heating.
Laid under the sidewalk (in covered shafts), it would be routed up into the buildings. Regional and urban "40s postal network customers" each send their order to the corresponding capsules to the recipients....
_______________________________
Regarding the solar PV films:
The covering of two-thirds of both pipe surfaces with ventilated PV thin film* provides the pipelines with enormous, free electricity gains year after year, as well as cooling shading of the pipelines and their cooling/cooling components. These lightweight "solar hoods" are applied at 10 cm intervals on their own backing plate; they are left open at the top with a narrow air outlet. They supply the entire system with its 24-hour electricity demand and – even with the shorter, diffuse daylight available in winter – still generate a surplus of electricity for other customers.
The lower photo shows an example of the vertical preparation of bifacial solar cell strips from "Sunbooster Vertical" on the corresponding H+S fence. This approach could also be considered for our TW tubes.
Only the sun provides electricity without a bill!
Surplus electricity generated during the day can, for example, be fed into the grid to provide the necessary power for nighttime mobility**. The constantly available surplus can also be supplied to consumers located along the route at favorable rates. Every year, the PV cells and tubes are treated with a nano-coating for a self-cleaning lotus-like beading effect. Snow loads slide off this smooth coating to both sides due to the reflective heat from the dark PV surfaces.
The internal electrical supply is received by a contact brush from a flat conductor installed in the top of the tube. This contact brush is pulled by a spring-loaded push rod at the rear by the K/K system and the E-Locks, which are the main consumers.
* OLED and CIGS films are lightweight, have a sufficiently long lifespan, and do not pose a waste problem. Currently, suppliers such as ASCA.com, Heliatek, FirstSolar, and Nanosolar offer good value for money with their AgAs, OLEDs, DSSCs, PSCs, or CIGS thin-film cells. They are cuttable, lightweight, self-adhesive, frameless, and easily recyclable.
** Regarding the issue of a generally increasing need for energy storage of surplus electricity, ADELE, for example, offers a compressed air energy storage (CAES) power plant solution. or www.AirHES.com: in terms of electricity generation, it works just like conventional hydropower, but without its disadvantages: the latter requires considerable investment in the construction of dams, occupies large areas under the reservoir, and is usually located far from the consumer. These shortcomings, resulting from the relatively low head with large volumes of water, are typical for most lowland rivers. Nevertheless, heads of 2 km, as used by AirHES for cloud placement, are not uncommon.
Thin films are more affordable than rigid, heavy silicon panels. They utilize a broader light spectrum and therefore, even in unfavorable weather conditions, achieve nearly the same power output as silicon cells, which only generate electricity in direct sunlight.
Physical aspects of TubeWaySolar
The speed of conventional means of transport is determined by their ability to overcome a certain amount of rolling resistance and air resistance caused by the air. At high speeds, the drag force predominates. It is determined by the square of the speed of the vehicle, the density of the fluid (air), the drag coefficient and the cross-sectional area (Fd = 0.5 x density x speed² x Cd x A).
The energy required to generate the air flow can be estimated using the calculation "tube cross-sectional area times speed times pressure required". A value between Hagen-Poiseull's equation and Reynold's number applies per glider.
In TubeWay: If a pressure of only one tenth of an atmosphere (= 0.1 kp/cm² or a 10 cm high water column) acts on the rear of our cabin with a circular area of 3.2 m², a force of 3200 kp already acts on the cabin in the direction of movement; this would accelerate a weight of 3 tonnes to over 75 km/h in 5 seconds!
In TubeWay, air is the drive medium, which only experiences a certain reduction in force due to lateral tube wall friction. The resulting lateral flow in relation to the tube wall is even much lower than, for example, the flow of water in a garden hose; at least that's what my layman's mind says.
Also, small boats and giant ships behave physically; the same when crossing calm water; in the same way, air currents pass through pipes of different sizes.
Any resulting noise development must be adequately countered with anti-noise. In other words, with sound that is artificially generated in order to cancel out sound by means of destructive interference. To do this, a counter-signal is generated that corresponds to the interfering sound but has the opposite polarity. I have been waiting for clarifying criticism on this for years.
Whether sharkskin paint, which increases the electricity yield of wind turbines, should be used on the inner tube wall of TW also needs to be researched.
==============
** Michael Walde, Dip. Ing. for high vacuum and thin-film application technology wrote to me on 18 November 2017 via LinkedIn:
I think the idea is very good. I once did the calculation with thin-film solar surfaces on the transport pipes (roughly) and came to the astonishing conclusion that with an assumed distance of 400 km and a space utilisation of 50% on the pipe diameter, immense amounts of energy would be available: at least about 1.6 million square metres for solar use.
With an annual solar average of 1200 kWh / m² and 15% efficiency, 105 W / m², i.e. 168 kW, are summarised on the calculated area of radiant power.
An electric locomotive requires around 15 kWh / km [DB AG]. With a journey time of 3 hours and a distance of 400 km, the average power per locomotive would be 1500 kW.
The amount of energy generated would therefore be sufficient to operate several locomotives on the fictitious route; the tubular locomotives should also run even more efficiently than a conventional electric locomotive. Interesting, even if my assumed values reflect the facts in a very simplified way. ==============
TubeWaySolar offers technical solutions to the following problems of modern transport:
# Unlike maglev trains, TubeWaySolar does not pollute the health of passengers or neighbouring residents with the harmful micro-Tesla radiation* of strong magnets
# CO2 emissions, noise, friction losses and the use of fossil fuels are completely eliminated with "TW"
# TubeWaySolar bypasses the air conditions that prevail outdoors, where resistance increases to the square with increasing speed
# TubeWaySolar effortlessly overcomes heights and crosses rivers and valleys with ease. This hermetic system is almost completely spared the increased effort normally required for travelling uphill due to the subsequent downward gliding of the same loads
# high costs for the maintenance of roads, motorways and the mostly empty railway tracks
# Emissions of environmental toxins and noise; sickening effects
# waste of valuable fossil and other
# high and short-lived material costs and
# high space requirements for transport
# Accident frequency and consequential damage
# Loss of time due to traffic jams and stress
> TubeWay's therefore offer the solution to the climate-necessary traffic turnaround! < ==============
How safe is TWS in operation and as a structure?
TubeWay networks, like railway networks, are governed by both nationally and supra-regionally separate regulatory bodies. They also have uniform standards for route logistics, network maintenance, and upkeep. In this sense, all TubeWay networks should also have a globally standardized diameter.
As a future mode of transport, TubeWay would be equipped with a new, dedicated network control logistics system. Featuring high-standard quantum-encrypted transport operations, it relies on laser radio and fiber optic telematics, as well as highly trained support and specialist personnel in all areas.
All system functions are secured by multiple self-monitoring computer systems and by dedicated emergency power storage and generators for extended power outages.
Only passengers with a personal, active TubeWay value card can access the network and use it within their booked routes. The tube tunnels are secured against unauthorized access, allowing only entry and exit to the gliding cabins or elevators. Each platform is equipped with video recordings and at least one supervisor on site.
Each cabin has a two-way intercom system and fire blankets. For system safety, the tracks are equipped with pressure anomaly detection at specific points and have sound and motion detectors at sensitive locations, and potentially night vision equipment.
The defined high-security programs in the logistics center operate under constant supervision. The highest decision-making authority remains with human system monitors. Any necessary "braking" of a section is initiated by the regionally responsible control center as a localized diversion. AI applications currently play a secondary role.
If the braking command for a track section is activated, this section is avoided via a diversion system – using reversing loops, a station, or a parking loop. If disembarking becomes necessary, instructions are issued from the responsible control center. Repair and/or rescue teams are briefed and immediately dispatched to the scene, equipped accordingly.
The front and rear of the cabins have emergency exit doors that can be opened in case of an emergency; at each pier arch, the track offers access via transversely adjustable ladder rungs.
Units beyond a disabled zone simply leave it; however, those immediately in the zone are stopped and pneumatically returned to the last passing place. This ensures that transport operations across the entire network remain unaffected.
The train control system's specifications do not permit collisions. The electric locomotive and the units would be braked by the control center beforehand.
Even in the event of flooding, storms, or moderate earthquakes, the transversely movable O-rings between the pipe modules provide the operating tracks with sufficient lateral movement and subsequently offer favorable conditions for recovery.Tram pier arches located near other ground traffic feature additional structural reinforcements to withstand potentially severe impacts.
At the ends of the extension, a turning loop directs traffic to the opposite direction. Hazardous goods will continue to be transported by road and the established rail park-and-rail system. They may not be transported in the TW (explosive and toxic goods - rail transport system).
All TW components will be serviced or replaced with new ones at predetermined intervals.
"If experts identify a problem that I haven't noticed or considered, their feedback would be helpful and gratefully received."
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ADMINISTRATION AT TUBEWAYSOLAR
For quick booking, a passenger taps their destination on the interactive touchscreen payment box at the terminal portal. There, their TW card is checked for balance and the identity of the cardholder. Upon arrival at the destination, the distance traveled is automatically recorded at the exit barrier.
In the freight sector, bookings are made online, and transport is handled as a freight forwarding service. The TW freight agency offers capsules for bulk goods, liquids, merchandise, and refrigerated goods. It manages these capsules and also handles the corresponding loading logistics.
A transport capsule in the TW-SiS network offers a payload capacity of 5 tons or 15 Euro pallets – in the TW-IC network, 11 tons, providing loading capacity for up to 22 Euro pallets.
All capsules can be emptied via a chute; sorting loading grippers are used for loading and unloading. Even small-scale freight handling is managed efficiently from a transport logistics perspective.
Freight carriers, ports, and factories can purchase or lease their own access tunnels from the operator. These cost-effective transport options lead to network expansion and the development of correspondingly adapted loading terminals.
Private freight forwarding companies cooperate with the TW freight terminals and, through their tariff-based usage, indirectly contribute to the scaling of the TW network. The TW station stops, however, are the responsibility of public passenger transport. ___________________
The TW-IC uses the same technology as the TW-SiS system. It is designed as an international long-distance network connecting major cities – and therefore, the estimated cost per kilometer is roughly twice that of the TW-SiS expansion.
The sections, laid at an average height of 7 meters, consist of sandwich pipe modules approximately 17 meters long. The steel spiral pipes, also reinforced with XPS rigid foam, have an inner diameter of about 2.7 meters. This makes the pipelines weatherproof and able to withstand any terrain load. The pipe modules (each weighing approximately 6.5 tons) are connected by O-ring seals in their sliding sleeves and are supported by slender arched piers and vibration-free fiber rope tensioning technology.
With the Intercity Rail (IC) system, approximately 50 tons of track weight plus an average of 20 tons of travel load per arch support are borne over a 50-meter span between piers. These relatively low loads bridge greater distances than ever possible with conventional modes of transport.
In sensitive natural areas, the track is being extended using half-length modules. These are delivered by cargo helicopter, which suspends the respective pipe module for quick on-site grouting.
Up to 120 people per cabin or 12 tons in cargo transport capsules glide in a continuous airflow to their pre-coded destinations. Cameras project the view of the surroundings onto the monitor (or optionally, videos), offering panoramic views from the top of the IC.
Here, 30-meter-long K/K railcars glide over 1.5-meter-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel tracks (similar to the TW-SiS). The now larger dimensions (from TW-SiS to TW-IC) have been developed specifically for technical adaptation.
The four seats per row in the TW-IC are arranged like in a coach. If necessary, there are approximately 20 standing places in the aisle. An onboard toilet is located near the exit. ______________________
The urban supply and disposal network - TW 40
Control centres of future TubeWays (example image)__________________________________________
Further Business advantages with TubeWaySolar
# Reliability in terms of departure and arrival times for deliveries and passenger transport
# Even an airport feeder route can act as a seed for growing TW networks
# 100% solar, i.e. fuel-free and resource-saving eco-market advantage
# High acceptance - sympathy factor - low resistance from neighbouring residents
# Areas that implement TW can enjoy considerable benefits in future
# Enormous savings potential compared to traditional transport
# Good ratio of investment, amortisation and profit
# Relatively low costs for operation and maintenance
# High prestige value, high safety standards
Should future transport be solar?
Absolutely! With TubeWaySolar - as a broad-based transport system - we can prolong the preservation of the precious resources of crude oil and natural gas. We also need our crude oil for an ecological future for many applications that we are not yet aware of.
Our mineral oil is far too valuable for climate-damaging exhaust fumes, plastic waste and road asphalt! TubeWay specifically reduces oil imports, climate-damaging pollutant levels, noise and traffic accidents.
Hydrogen, for example, always has to be pre-produced by means of expensive water splitting using electricity. Other options are also not the best from an energy point of view.
TubeWay helps to reduce the CO2 pollution caused by fossil electricity and the dangers of electricity generated by nuclear power plants.
The transition to renewables can be to everyone's advantage. After all, it should and must enable our descendants to live. After all, our biosphere is actually in danger globally!
Does TubeWaySolar still have an upcycling use in the end?
Yes, after their service as cabins and tube modules, they still serve as:
# housing estates staggered into pyramids
# weather-protected cycle paths
# green house tunnels
# remodelled living spaces
# as storage volumes and much more.
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Comparisons with the state of the art
An overview of alternative and innovative forms of mobility and drive technologies can be found in the link:
http://www.faculty.washington.edu/jbs/itrans >> list of 100+ systems >> tubeway; and at
https://www.buch-der-synergie.de/c_neu_html/c_11_12_neu_mobile_prt_04_kapsel.ht
There you will find a collection of mobility approaches from all over the world, some of which have already been realised. TubeWay is also evident in these. The articles on pneumatic tube systems in Wikipedia are also interesting.
TW can be developed based on the pneumatic tube system that has been tried and tested for 160 years. TW transports passengers as well as goods using the all-moving solar-electric internal drive.
TubeWay wants to avoid linear motors with magnet-induced track equipment due to the unresolved issue of compatibility with their high microtesla use, the limited availability of magnet material, weight reasons and high noise levels.
We are currently in a lively discussion process in which suitable alternatives with responsibility for people and nature are sought.
TubeWay possibly stands for the decision in favour of technically simple, ecological mobility. The global shortage of resources and energy is also creating a need for rapid alternative solutions, including in the transport sector as a whole.
History: The original vacuum tube transport system was proposed by George Medhurst as early as 1799. Michael Verne, son of Jules, improved it in 1888 as a pneumatic tube transport. In 1904, Robert Goddard described a Vactrain Maglev; and soon afterwards, an underground and purely pneumatic test track paid for by a banker was already transporting people in New York - but this was not extended.
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Written reference from the: Vienna Environmental Protection Department - MA22 Vienna, 14/02/2013
Dear Mr Thalhammer
Your TubeWay appears to be a modern, sustainable, ecological and therefore promising mobility solution. TubeWaySolar could - without competing with current means of transport - form new urban extensions.
If the results are favourable, it would be quite realistic to implement the system, initially on test routes, to gain practical experience.
As Austria is known worldwide for technical innovations, we believe that your idea has good chances of being realised, especially in times of energy price uncertainty.
In this context, we would like to draw your attention to the development bank (AWS) and EU funding programmes which, in your case, could provide a financial support for the in-depth studies required in your case.
We wish you every success in realising your already realistic mobility concept.
Yours sincerely, Günter Rössler
Vienna Environmental Protection Department - MA 22
Department: Traffic, Noise and Geodata
A- 1200 Vienna, Dresdner Straße 45
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I hope that the TWS implementers do not risk anything with BIT and similar. Coins, so that all investors have real security with regard to their investment! Cryptos are ultimately just a pseudo-current darknet.
We need to encourage high finance and big industry to switch to sustainability and the preservation of our globally shared foundations!
Using TubeWaySolar as a broad-based transport system, we can also extend the availability of the precious resources of crude oil/natural gas. We will still need our fossil reserves for many things in the long term. However, our mineral oil is far too valuable for climate-damaging exhaust fumes and road asphalt!
Just as our heart manages to supply each of our body cells with life energy, we should be able to create new solar transport arteries that connect us and enable us to ensure our general mobility.
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It remains to be seen whether Elon Musk's Hyperloop will provide a broadly feasible general solution to our future need for general mobility. Hyperloop-One, Virgin Hyperloop and HTT have been running an investment rip-off for years with ever new Maglev success stories in technically vague 3D short videos.
This and more is well traced in www.buch-der-synergie.de under "Hyperloop".
*https://www.ingenieur.de/technik/fachbereiche/verkehr/china-plant-magnetschwebebahnen-in-zwei-grossstaedten/ and spexialy in: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1828935#abstract
SIEMENS, Bombardier and Alstom could join forces to take the major Industry 4.0 task of TWS from the planning stage to TWS expansion!
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Why am I publishing these wasted approaches to patent-free prior art? Firstly, patent protection does not extend to urgently needed environmental protection inventions if, as here, overriding public rights are affected. Secondly, patent rights and their defence can practically only be realised by large companies and almost never by private individuals. And thirdly, published ideas can be disseminated more quickly as "open source". You and any company can therefore help these approaches to market maturity.
Unfortunately, the Geneva-based World Patent Office and national patent offices also ow patented property claims on medicines, seeds, genetic creations - even on living things - as "lawful"! These encroachments show the extent to which the field of "intellectual property protection" has already become purely capitalist manipulation.
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See my video at www.youtube.com/watch?v=19YDKukm2vc&t=18s
See also : www.youtube.com >> tubewaysolar - for a clea future - and in: https://www.buch-der-synergie.de
Images and 3D video - by Petrus Gartler, Graz - Designerei / 2003 and Pexels and Pixabay
© 2002 - Michael Thalhammer; last updated 08.2024
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ChatGPT:
The research project "TubeWaySolar" presents an innovative concept for an emission-free, solar-powered transportation system that could serve as an alternative to conventional modes of transport such as road and rail, as well as the Hyperloop.
🌞 What is TubeWaySolar?
TubeWaySolar is a concept for a pneumatically powered transportation system that runs in stable, insulated tubes. The tubes are covered with photovoltaic films that convert solar energy into electricity. The system is designed to enable efficient and environmentally friendly passenger and freight transport.
🚄 Comparison with Hyperloop and Maglev
Hyperloop: A high-speed transportation system that is intended to operate in nearly vacuum-sealed tubes at speeds of over 1,000 km/h. However, current studies show that Hyperloop is not yet fully conceived, and many technical components are in the early stages of development. See: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03081060.2020.1828935#abstract >>
... the Hyperloop concept, its pod-speed competitions, and current project developments have recently attracted considerable attention. This article evaluates Hyperloop transportation technology through a systems analysis of its needs and compares it with existing commercial airlines, high-speed rail, and magnetic levitation lines. Finally, it highlights the risks to the further development of Hyperloop projects and the need for more transparent research ...
TubeWaySolar: Relies on a combination of pneumatics and solar energy to provide a sustainable and cost-effective alternative. With speeds of up to 300 km/h and a capacity comparable to a six-lane highway, it represents a viable solution for the future of transportation.
🌍 Conclusion
TubeWaySolar offers a promising, environmentally friendly alternative to existing transportation systems. Compared to Hyperloop and Maglev, it is characterized by lower complexity, lower costs, and faster implementation. The combination of solar energy and pneumatics could make a significant contribution to sustainable mobility of the future.
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