Design and Development of the Hyperloop Deployable Wheel System
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HYPERLOOP DEPLOYABLE WHEEL SYSTEM by Graeme P.A. Klim Bachelor of Engineering, Ryerson University (2015) A thesis presented to Ryerson University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Applied Science in the program of Aerospace Engineering Toronto, Ontario, Canada, 2018 © Graeme P.A Klim 2018 AUTHOR'S DECLARATION FOR ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF A THESIS I hereby declare that I am the sole author of this thesis. This is a true copy of the thesis, including any required final revisions, as accepted by my examiners. I authorize Ryerson University to lend this thesis to other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I further authorize Ryerson University to reproduce this thesis by photocopying or by other means, in total or in part, at the request of other institutions or individuals for the purpose of scholarly research. I understand that my thesis may be made electronically available to the public. ii DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HYPERLOOP DEPLOYABLE WHEEL SYSTEM Graeme P.A Klim Master of Applied Science, Aerospace Engineering, Ryerson University, Toronto (2018) Abstract In 2013 Elon Musk inspired engineers and entrepreneurs with his idea for a 5th mode of transportation: the Hyperloop. Using large near-vacuum tubes as a medium, Musk envisioned sending humans and cargo in levitating pods from Los Angeles to San Francisco California in 35 minutes or less. Consisting of multiple subsystems, these pods would use magnetic or air-bearing technology for primary levitation to accommodate speeds approaching 700 mph. To address Musk’s call for a traditional deployable wheel system to provide added safety and low-speed mobility for the pods, a patent-pending Hyperloop Deployable Wheel System (HDWS) was developed. This report details the author’s contribution to the design and development of the award-winning HDWS and examines the constraints and limitations imposed by the Hyperloop concept: small operational space, near-vacuum low-pressure conditions, high-speed use and smooth ride requirements. iii Acknowledgements I would like to sincerely thank Dr. Seyed M. Hashemi for supporting and guiding me throughout the entirety of my university education. Your attentive attitude towards my educational and personal ambitions has been greatly appreciated. I would like to give a huge “shout-out” to the student team members of Ryerson’s International Hyperloop Team – Tayo Shonibare, Whintta Ghebreiyesus, Jesse Brito, Min Adhikari and Moeid Elahi – for their contributions to the present work. I am indebted to the project’s academic and industrial advisors: Steve Amberg, Clement Rodrigues, Primoz Cresnik, Faizan Rehematullah and Seyed M. Hashemi who spent a great deal of their personal time supporting the development of the Hyperloop Deployable Wheel System. I would like to thank the large “team” of supporters at Safran Landing Systems Canada Inc. who provided me with access to development funding, engineering expertise, test facilities and even provided me a desk onsite for the duration of the project. By the same token, the assistance of Ryerson University, from the president’s office to the lab technicians, was unwavering and greatly appreciated. The additional financial support from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) through an ENGAGE grant is also acknowledged. I would like to extend a deep sense of gratitude to Mr. Pete Cooper who spent a great deal of his 2016 calendar year manufacturing the structural components for the Hyperloop Deployable Wheel System and its test fixtures. Pete’s commitment to manufacturing excellence ensured that the final product not only functioned well, but looked great too! Finally, I would like to thank my friends and family, whose love and encouragement has enabled me to complete this work. Thank you to my partner, Kelly Firth, for always encouraging and supporting me throughout this project. Thank you to my Mom and Dad, and my grandparents, Alex (2010) and Blanche (2015) Klim, Clarence and Walterina Mountain, for all your love and support throughout the years. Without the support of all these people and organizations, the Hyperloop Deployable Wheel System would have remained a great idea yet to be realized. iv Table of Contents Abstract .......................................................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ iv List of Figures ................................................................................................................................ ix List of Tables ............................................................................................................................... xiv List of Symbols, Constants and Abbreviations ............................................................................. xv Symbols ..................................................................................................................................... xv Constants .................................................................................................................................. xvi Abbreviations ........................................................................................................................... xvi 1 Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 Preamble ........................................................................................................................... 1 1.2 The SpaceX Hyperloop Competition ............................................................................... 1 1.3 Ryerson’s International Hyperloop Team ........................................................................ 2 1.4 Research Motivation ........................................................................................................ 2 1.5 Key Objectives and Contributions ................................................................................... 3 1.6 Limitation of Current Work ............................................................................................. 4 1.7 Thesis Outline .................................................................................................................. 5 2 Literature Review .................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 The Hyperloop.................................................................................................................. 6 2.1.1 Pod Overview............................................................................................................ 6 2.1.2 Major Subsystems Breakdown ................................................................................. 7 2.1.3 The Tube System ...................................................................................................... 9 2.1.4 SpaceX Hyperloop Tube System ............................................................................ 10 2.2 Hyperloop Pod Operation Environment ......................................................................... 11 v 2.2.1 Low-pressure Environment ..................................................................................... 11 2.2.2 High-speed Operation ............................................................................................. 12 2.2.3 Thermal Management ............................................................................................. 12 2.3 Aircraft Landing Gear .................................................................................................... 13 2.3.1 A Brief History ....................................................................................................... 13 2.3.2 Key Components and Configurations ..................................................................... 14 2.3.3 Common Components ............................................................................................ 15 2.4 Existing Patents .............................................................................................................. 17 3 Product Definition and Preliminary Design .......................................................................... 23 3.1 Precondition: Why Wheels? ........................................................................................... 23 3.1.1 Air Levitation Pod................................................................................................... 23 3.1.2 Magnetic Levitation Pod ......................................................................................... 24 3.2 Former University of Toronto Partnership ..................................................................... 25 3.3 Design Objectives .......................................................................................................... 25 3.4 Product Development Guidelines and Constraints......................................................... 26 3.4.1 Design Constraints .................................................................................................. 27 3.4.2 Performance Constraints and Guidelines ................................................................ 28 3.4.3 Material and Lubrication Guidelines .....................................................................