Michael ThalhammerDEVELOPMENT STUDY FOR A SOLAR-PNEUMATIC GUIDEWAY TRANSPORT SYSTEM -
ABSTRACTIt was in the millennium when the conceptual link between a pneumatic tube and a modern transport system came to me.
TubeWaySolar was born.
TubeWay could be the answer to many of the challenges of our time: on the one hand, to maintain mobility in the long term and, on the other, to stop polluting the environment with CO2, noise and odours.
It soon became clear to me that the drive for this should come exclusively from the sun. Photovoltaic films applied to large areas of the tubes generate electricity from daylight.
TubeWay glides smoothly, quietly and emission-free in long-lasting, low-maintenance tube sections - and has the capacity of a 6-lane motorway. Speeds of up to 300 kilometres per hour can be achieved.
The route runs on elegant elevated tracks at an average height of 7 metres. TubeWay takes up very little land. Naturally grown habitats are preserved for people, animals and also for agricultural use.
TubeWay is used for both passenger and freight transport. Safety is a top priority for TubeWay: the entire route network is controlled and monitored by computer-aided control centres.
TubeWaySolar is helping to advance the energy and mobility transition. My main concern is that we protect our unique planet and preserve our shared living space.
The technical functions, their system security and the key business aspects are discussed in more detail below.
See also my video at:
http://www.youtube.com/watchv=19YDKukm2vc&t=18s /
https://lnkd.in/g85nipjy >> TubeWaySolar - for a clean future.
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PART ONE:
TUBEWAYSOLAR IN THE SIT-IN-SURF VARIANT (TW SiS)
Illustrated here is the "TW Sit-in-Surf" grid system with an internal diameter of around 1.9 metres and its approx. 20 metre long cabins. Its application would be of great benefit to urban and rural areas and as a regional transport network route.
The sandwich spiral sheet tubular paths used for this purpose are filled with stable Styrodur. This means that the pipework is stiffened, weatherproof and can withstand any terrain load. To produce straight modules, the parallel sheet metal strip seams remain uncut. For different curve radii, however, these seams are cut to size before they are seamed. The length of the pipe modules would be around 18 metres. Their O-ring socket end is also an expansion joint. The distance between the pier arches is approx. 90 metres.
The windowless, approx. 18 metre long cabins offer seating for around 70 people. Recorded music, a selection of short films or a monitor showing the passing landscape are available at every seat.
Two metres of the interior are dedicated to the space required for pushchairs and wheelchairs.
Three passengers can travel comfortably in each row of seats.
Luggage can be stowed under the seat; a small folding table and power and internet connections provide modern travelling comfort. The interior is optimally made from natural lightweight materials (e.g. bamboo).
There are no on-board toilets on the regional short-distance network, but larger stations are equipped with toilets.
TW-SiS travels at a maximum speed of 85 km/h in urban areas and up to 190 km/h in regional areas. In the city centre, the tracks run just above the buildings and partly rest on them.
TW SiS offers space for around 18 pallets with a freight weight of up to around 5 tonnes.
All the dimensions proposed here are merely estimates to describe the concept.
In the ‘TW SiS’ as well as the ‘TW IC’ (part 2.), users are timed via the ticket or the freight fare; between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m., the cabins serve as freight capsules. The seats are removed to make room for freight traffic. During these seven night hours, it handles the exchange of goods and delivery traffic in both rural and urban areas.
TW Sit-in-surf and TW Intercity offer a high transport density. This would make them a forward-looking, superordinate transport network with connections to existing transport hubs.
How does TubeWaySolar work technically?In principle, TW is conceived as a two-directional route, which is routed parallel to each other with flexible spacers. Supporting cables*, tubular composite and pillar arches ensure the necessary traffic safety of such elevated routes.
The bridge statics support a bidirectional section, the sliding units and the media line at a height of ~ 7 metres. One arch support has to bear approx. 30 tonnes of track weight plus ~ 13 tonnes of traffic loads. The slender track pillar arches keep the TW track on course using vibration-free tension cable technology.
Each cabin or cargo capsule glides in a permanent air stream to its pre-coded destination. They glide on a 1 metre wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel sheet channel (bonded using VHB tape from 3M Scotch).
The soles of the cabins carry longitudinally aligned, oval sliding discs made of indestructible Teflon**. The full cabin load is distributed over these approximately 700 discs (4 mm, 30 x 70 mm) embedded in a cork bed support layer to a maximum of 10 kg each. They form the dynamic permanent contact to the high-gloss channel. Hard plastic cables in a 0.5 mm nozzle lead into the front edge of each of these discs. Connected to an electric on-board compressor, the nozzles each provide a slide-optimising compressed air supply. These supply lines are also enclosed in the cork sole. The compressed air now lifts the cabins from dry sliding friction into a permanent "micro-float". The oil-free compressor presses its air through the Teflon discs into the soleplate area, which is surrounded by a Rubber lip seal . The coefficient of sliding friction is in the extremely low range of ~ 0.01. The on-board compressor is well soundproofed.
* The tube diameter is only an average recommendation, the dimensions of which are suitable for the most common unit load sizes. This diameter does not accommodate large or excessively heavy hazardous goods or those that cannot be transported by TW. These are still transported by rail and freight companies.
The edge profile support arches with their bolted bases carry the two sections. The arch centre holds the tensioning cables from which the track modules are suspended. // The tensioning ropes are ultra-light fibre ropes made by Dyneema, Teufelberger or Trowis. They are stronger than steel, UV-stable, lightweight, water-repellent and inexpensive.
** Teflon (PTFE - polytetrafluoroethylene) is - as the most inert plastic - heat-resistant, abrasion-resistant and pressure-resistant. Sliding and friction values are both close to zero. Even the extremely heavy sarcophagus for the defective Chernobyl reactor could only be moved using Teflon plates. // This extremely durable TWS similar to classic pneumatic post: In 1819, the Scottish engineer William Murdoch carried out a series of experiments with compressed air and developed the first pneumatic communication system, which later became known as pneumatic post.In order to make the air flow in TWS hermetical, a series of non-contact felt seals are applied to the tube around the outside wall of the cabin. As multi-chamber seals, their profile forms rotating, completely sealing air rollers. The overpressure dynamics of the self-feeding air rollers when the locomotive is in motion prevent any flow of the propulsion medium past these hermetic seals. The electric locomotives are also surrounded by several of these seals.
All locomotives and cabins have articulated joints in their floor that are suitable for curves. When empty, the aluminium cabins weigh approx. 2300 kg.
The internal electrical supply is received by means of a contact brush from a flat conductor laid in the tube top. This contact brush is tightened on a spring pressure rod at the rear.
An air conditioning system regulates the fresh air supply and the internal temperature of the fresh air inlet located in the rear top. The cabin air filtered there flows through the travelling units - at a controlled normal pressure - from the rear to the front. Space for pushchairs and wheelchairs is provided in the boarding area; these passengers may also alight there.
Public stations are connected to the dynamic main line as a bypass. At the stopping point (usually via existing transport hubs), two passenger lifts transport passengers boarding and alighting to the track or ground level.
The cabins in the parallel-separated station bypass tube are approached by means of hydraulic leverage. Around 70 % of the energy for the initial push assistance in the station area comes from the braking energy fed back from arriving units; this power is transferred to flywheel dynamos embedded in the floor.
At each passenger station (which is also used at night to load goods), the permissible load of the sliding units is weighed and the power required is transmitted to the on-board compressor. The exact starting torque for the permanent flow of the main pipe is also calculated in advance.
The hermetically sealed air vortex barrier described above is created as soon as the vehicle starts up. There is an airlock gate at the end of the station bypass (as well as at the entrance). From this point onwards, each cabin is under the logistical control of the main flow and is now travelling at 65 km/h, up from 40 km/h previously. These lock gates operate as swift double-leaf sliding doors.
The pipe splits at junctions; and begins with the channel rocker forked as a switch. The destination of the cabin orients the diverter beforehand, while the other pipe path lock closes automatically. A large air inlet sits on each of the pipes at the branch. These provide the current volume requirement of the section divided from here.
A controlled zip fastener principle takes effect at feeders. Here, too much air is released to the outside. There are also turning and waiting loops for the electric locomotive deployment concerted by the control centre.
In curves, the load weight follows its unhindered momentum. The slideways are wider there. Thanks to the freedom of the centre of gravity, the curves can hardly be felt at any speed. Even goods capsules reach their destinations with an undisplaced load. In the ideal volume, 5 - 15 units per hour pass the measuring point.
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To the solar PV films:By covering 2/3 of the pipe section surface with rear-ventilated PV-Thinfilm*, the sections maintain their cooling shading and offer enormous energy gains year in, year out. These lightweight ‘solar bonnets’ are applied to their own support plates at 5 cm intervals and are left open at the top through a narrow air outlet. They supply the entire system with its 24-hour power requirement and harvest electrical energy even when there is only diffuse daylight. Only the sun provides electricity without a bill!
Any surplus electricity generated during the day is fed into the grid to provide mobility power** at night. The summer surpluses can be fed to consumers close to the route. Every year, the PV cells and pipes are treated with a nano-coating for a self-cleaning lotus beading effect. Snow loads slide off on both sides of this coating and due to the reflective heat of the dark PV surface.
* Suppliers such as:
ARMOR solar power films, AltaDevices, Flisom, Heliatek, Alwitra-Evalon-cSi, FirstSolar, Nanosolar or Solaronix with their AgAs, OLED, DSSC, PSC or CIGS thin-film cells show a good price-performance ratio. They can be cut to size, are lightweight, self-adhesive, easy to recycle and also produce high yields in diffuse daylight.+ + +
** 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.
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* GaAs are Galium-Arsenic-Cells and CIGS-Cells and are cheaper than the stiff, heavy silicon panels. They utilise a broader spectrum of light and therefore have similar power outputs to silicon cells even in hazy weather conditions, which only deliver electricity yields in direct sunlight. OLED and CIGIS films are lightweight, have a sufficiently long service life and do not pose a waste problem.
** There is an approach to the problem of a generally growing storage requirement for surplus electricity, e.g. ADELE, which is a compressed air storage power plant or the www.lageenergiespeicher.de by Prof. Eduard Heindl.=======
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!
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Physical aspects of TubeWaySolarThe 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.
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 minimal reduction in force due to lateral tube wall friction.
+ + +
How safe is TubeWaySolar in operation and as a structure?As is usually the case with railway networks, the TW networks are subject to separate national authorities.
Nevertheless, uniform standards are needed - e.g. for network maintenance and servicing. For example, all TW networks should have a globally standardised diameter.
As the means of transport of the future, TubeWay must be sensitively managed and monitored. With a new high standard for safe transport operations, it relies on radio and fibre optic telematics as well as highly trained support and specialist staff in all area structures.
At the ends of extensions, a turning loop leads the traffic to the opposite route or it can return via a more extensive route in a large turnaround via a different route.
All system functions are safeguarded by mutually controlling computer systems and emergency power generators.
Only passengers with a personal, active TW prepaid card can access the network and use it within the within the booked routes.
The tube tunnels are secured against unauthorised access so that only passengers can enter and exit the sliding cabins. Each platform has recording videos and at least one supervisor on site.
Each cabin has a direct intercom system, fire extinguishing blankets and is monitored by cameras. For system safety, the lines are equipped with pressure anomaly detection at certain points and have external sound and motion detectors at sensitive points, and possibly a night
vision system.
The defined high-security programmes in the logistics centre operate under constant supervision. The highest decision-making authority remains with human system monitors.
Any necessary slowing down of a section is initiated in the regional centre concerned by means of localised diversions.
In the event of a stop and the need to disembark, instructions are issued from the relevant control centre.
Repair or rescue teams are then instructed immediately and proceed accordingly.
Out instructed and go to the event equipped accordingly.
The front and rear sides of the cabins have escape doors that are open in the event of an emergency; and at each pillar arch, the track offers an entrance or exit that can be used in an emergency plus an emergency descent (via cross-adjustable ladder rungs).
If the braking command for a section of track comes into effect, a diversion system (via reversing loops, a station or a parking loop) avoids this section.
Units behind a handicap zone simply leave it, but those immediately in front are stopped and brought back pneumatically to the last turnout. The transport operations in the overall network thus remain unaffected.
The specifications of the TW technology do not permit a run-up. Ultimately, a highly compressed air cushion via the sliding capsule seals would result in a dampened braking distance. In addition, the units, as well as the individual electric locomotives, can be braked via the control centre.
The transversely movable sleeve O-rings between the tubular modules provide the operating sections with favourable clearance and recovery possibilities even in the event of flooding, storms or moderate earthquakes.
The TW pillar bends, which are located close to the ground traffic, must be able to withstand a possible heavy impact and are rebuilt to withstand this. Dangerous goods remain entrusted to road freight and the tried-and-tested railway park-and-rail system.
All TW components are replaced with new ones at fixed intervals.
Passenger services will run from 6am to 10pm. Time and fare differences are used to keep the day and night areas unattractive to each other. This means that the freight sector is preferably handled at night, which means that only taxis can be used at these times.
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ADMINISTRATION AT TUBEWAYSOLARFor quick booking, network customers tap the destination on the interactive touch-screen network map on the terminal portal and make the transaction with the TW Card, which is based on credit.
The TW-Card and the identity of the cardholder are checked. Once they reach their destination, the distance travelled is recorded electronically.
The transport of the overnight freight is booked by telephone, fax or Internet. The route kilometres and weight used are billed via a user account.
The freight agency offers bulk, liquid, goods and refrigerated capsules. It manages these and also carries out the relevant loading logistics.
A transport cabin in the TW-SiS offers 6 tonnes or 15 Euro pallets - in the TW-IC network 13 tonnes payload as loading capacity for up to 22 Euro pallets.
All cabins can be emptied via Kant; sorting loading grippers are used for loading and unloading. This enables freight to be moved efficiently in terms of transport logistics.
Freight forwarders, harbours and factories can purchase or rent their own access tubes from the operator. This type of favourable transport leads to network expansions and brings correspondingly and result in correspondingly adapted loading terminals.
The night-to-day user changeover takes about half an hour - from transport capsules to cleaned cabins, including the installation of benches.
This means that transport services such as sorting, loading and delivery to the destination addresses are carried out at night. This split >cab at the same time as capsule< saves a huge garage park and enormous rush-hour costs.
The largely private haulage business cooperates with TW-Netzlogistik for a certain period of time and thus participates via its usage tariffs. The TW network operator, on the other hand, is responsible for public passenger transport.
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Part 2.
TubeWaySolar-IC (InterCity)The TW-IC uses the same technology as the TW-SiS. It is conceived as a long-distance network linking major cities - and so the costs per kilometre of construction are near three times higher than for TW-SiS.
The route, which is laid at an average height of 7 metres, consists of approx. 17 metre long sandwich pipe modules with an internal diameter of around 2.9 metres. As with the TW SiS, the bi-directional sections, sliding units and the media line are supported - together - by the bridge's structural system. 50 metres of pier arch distance for the TW-IC means that approx. 50 tonnes of section weight plus an average of 20 tonnes of driving loads per arch support have to be carried. These relatively low loads bridge greater distances than would be possible with conventional modes of transport.
In sensitive natural areas, the roadway is gently extended using half-length modules, which are delivered by cargo helicopter; they hold the respective pipe module in suspension for rapid grouting on site.
Up to 110 people per cabin (or 12 tonnes as cargo transport capsules) glide in a constant stream of air to their pre-coded destinations. Windows set into the sides of the IC open up a panoramic view of the altitude.
The 26-metre-long cabins glide over 2-metre-wide, mirror-smooth stainless steel sheet chutes bonded with VHB tape from 3M Scotch. The soles of the cabins are fitted with embedded sliding rings made of indestructible Teflon**.
The full cabin load is distributed across these 1600 or so discs (4 mm, 30 x 70 mm), which are set in a cork bed support layer, to a maximum of 12 kg per disc. They form the dynamic permanent contact to the high-gloss channel.
Hard plastic cables, each with a 0.5 mm nozzle, lead into the front edge of these discs. Connected to an electric on-board compressor, these nozzles provide a glide-optimized compressed air supply. These supply lines are also enclosed in the cork soleplate.
The compressed air now lifts the cabins from dry sliding friction into a permanent “micro-float”. The oil-free compressor presses its air through the Teflon disks into the soleplate area, which is surrounded by a seal. The coefficient of sliding friction is in the extremely low range of ~ 0.01. The on-board compressor is well soundproofed.
The seats in the TW-IC are arranged like in a coach. If required, there are also approx. 20 standing places in the centre aisle. An on-board WC is located near the exit.
In the TW-IC, users are also timed via the ticket or the freight fare and the cabins become freight capsules at night.______________________
Part 3
The urban supply and disposal network TubeWaySolar - TW 40... which has a sufficient diameter of 40 cm, travels at around 35 km/h.
Each 85 cm long capsule can carry 20 kg of material; and in principle they glide to their destination using the same transport technology as the large TWs. A flexible joint also ensures good manoeuvrability in the tighter bends here.
This urban supply and disposal network (TW-40) would be of great general benefit within our urban centres - e.g. for ordered shopping, official documents, food delivery, postal and parcel services, waste disposal, etc. - would generally be of great benefit.
Companies and private individuals could be connected to the 40 cm network as subscribers - as with district heating.
It would be laid under the pavement in coverable shafts and routed up to the buildings. The municipal operator would deliver the corresponding capsules to the customer on order.
Part 4
What are the business aspects and opportunities of TubeWaySolar?
TWS mobility requires some upfront investment and carefully planned implementation steps, but once established, TubeWay investors and operators could generate consistent, secure profits. At the same time, a variety of business sectors would emerge.
In terms of legal form, for example, it is conceivable that the tube routes could be nationally owned; the solar energy output could come from a public limited company, and the vehicle fleet could be under public administration. Several mixed forms are therefore possible here.
TubeWay-Mobility can revitalise key segments of our market and working world. The result is a win-win situation for customers, operators and our environment.
There are hardly any really reliable figures for large-scale projects and I can't offer any here - but:
The technical pre-development can be created - with little financial risk - via the small 190 cm grid or the 40 cm grid. These initial networks generate the large IC network in a step-by-step financing plan.
Expertise from science, investment, EU infrastructure planning, local authorities, environmental groups and the relevant branches of industry are involved.
What is needed now is the appropriate capital consortium with an affinity for politics and large-scale industry. It is the special technology that makes TW-financeability plausible.
The PV film covering can be used to achieve the TW total distances Generate solar power mostly above demand*. The surplus electricity generated during the day can be utilised as night-time electricity after being fed into the grid.
Further surpluses would be offered competitively to consumers close to the line.
Railway lines cost an average of around 27 million euros per kilometre. Motorway construction costs up to 70 million euros per kilometre (2014). These costs do not even include the respective track acquisition prices. In addition, each kilometre of expansion devours ~ 30,000 tonnes of already rare and therefore expensive sand.
If the production structure is fully developed, the TW/IC expansion is likely to be much lower than the expansion costs of a railway line.
Does TubeWaySolar have a realistic chance?Not a single drop of used petrol will ever become available crude oil again! The fluctuating costs of the enormous imports keep Europe, among other countries, dependent on Russia and OPEC.
Oil crises and rising energy costs do not affect this system or even allow it to grow indirectly. In particular, the constant increase in CO2 (climate warming) also creates an increased need for action!
The usual objections from affected landowners need not be feared by the high-route TW lines. No land is divided or agriculturally restricted. TubeWay glides over fields, forests and pastures - visually discreet - as well as emission-free and noise-free.
Sustainable energy technologies are already experiencing high growth rates. They promote employment, energy mix, social security and monetary circulation.
Market - competitors - strategyOverall, we need to develop sustainable solutions for our future general mobility needs!
Well planned, even a prototype route could establish itself as profitable. Due to its ecologically relevant, gentle and connection-friendly technology, a broad customer identification with this modern form of mobility would quickly emerge.
After its construction, TubeWay is no longer dependent on permanent public funding.
On the basis of pneumatic solar operation, TW passenger and freight transport would also be offered at an unrivalled price. Due to its ecologically relevant, gentle and connection-friendly technology, a prototype line could quickly be established.
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!
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.
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.
+ + + + +
Written reference from the: Vienna Environmental Protection Department - MA22 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. And all the hyperloops have been cashing in on their endless franchising for 12 years without leading to any practical applications.
I also warn against the use of a TWS expansion in order to continue transporting those goods and resources that our future generations are entitled to!
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!
The transition to renewables can be achieved with benefits on all sides. After all, it should and must enable future generations to make a living!
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 franchising 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/
SIEMENS, Bombardier and Alstom could join forces to accomplish the major Industry 4.0 task of expanding TWS!
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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/c_neu_html/c_11_12_neu_mobile_prt_04_kapsel.htm 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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www.SOLARIFY.eu Energy for the futureAn Austrian could have come up with a revolutionary transport system: a combination of pneumatic tube and Transrapid. He calls his system "TubeWay" and says it is "universally applicable as a medium and long-distance transport system and designed as a connection-friendly means of transport.
In TubeWay, travellers and goods are to be transported in cabins in tubes laid on elevated tracks to their destinations - says Michael Thalhammer.
TubeWay is fully compatible with today's modes of transport. After all, his tube has already made it into the world's largest collection of links to alternative modes of transport.
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