Publications

List of scientific publications related to the research project

2022

D. Tudor, T. Govoni, M. Leipold and M. Paolone (2022)Design of a Hyperloop System MockUp. 2022 IEEE 25th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC).

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Abstract:

The thorough development of the hyperloop system does require the availability of reduced-scale models. They can be used for the fast prototyping of various components, as well as for studying critical phenomena that takes place in this peculiar transportation system without the need to develop complex and expensive full-scale setups. In this respect, in this paper, we present a process for the optimal assessment of the scaling factor; it is to be used for the development of a reduced-scale hyperloop model, starting from the knowledge of the technical characteristics of its full-scale counterpart. The objective of the proposed process is the minimisation of the difference between the normalized power profiles associated with the reduced-scale and full-scale models of a hyperloop capsule traveling along a pre-defined trajectory with a pre-determined speed profile. By considering the hyperloop full-scale model as a reference, we propose a set of equations that link the above-mentioned metric with the constraints dictated by the kinematics of the hyperloop capsule, the capsule’s battery-energy storage and propulsion systems, the capsule’s aerodynamics, and the operating environmental conditions. We then derive a closed-form expression for the assessment of the optimal scaling factor and eventually use it to study the scaled-down version of an application example of a realistic hyperloop system.

2021

D. Tudor, T. Govoni, M. Leipold and M. Paolone (2022)Design of a Hyperloop System MockUp. 2022 IEEE 25th International Conference on Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITSC).

Author(s): 

Abstract:

We present an operational-driven optimal-design framework of a Hyperloop system. The novelty of the proposed framework is in the problem formulation that links the operation of a network of Hyperloop capsules, the model of the Hyperloop infrastructure, and the model of the capsule’s propulsion and kinematics. The objective of the optimisation is to minimize the energy consumption of the whole Hyperloop system for different operational strategies. By considering a network of energy-autonomous capsules and various depressurization control strategies of the Hyperloop infrastructure, the constraints of the optimisation problem represent the capsule’s battery energy storage system response, the capsule’s propulsion system and its kinematic model linked with the model of the depressurization system of the Hyperloop infrastructure. Depending on the operational scheme and lengths of the trajectories, the proposed framework determines optimal operating pressures of the Hyperloop infrastructure between 1.5-80mbar along with the maximum capsules cruising speeds. Furthermore, the proposed framework determines maximum operational power of the capsule’s propulsion system in the range between 1.7-5MW with a minimum energy need of 25Wh/passenger/km.

2020

D. Tudor and M. Paolone (2020) Influence of Battery Models on the Optimal Design of the Propulsion System of a Hyperloop Capsule. Proceedings of the 2019 IEEE Vehicle Power and Propulsion Conference.

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Abstract:

The paper assesses the influence of equivalent circuit battery models on the optimal design of the propulsion system of an energy-autonomous Hyperloop capsule. By knowing a pre-determined payload to be transported along pre-determined trajectories, the problem minimizes the total number of battery cells supplying the capsule propulsion along with the maximization of its performance. The constraints of the problem embed numerically- tractable models of the main components of the electrical propulsion systems and of the battery. Although the optimization problem is non-convex, its constraints are formulated to exhibit a good numerical tractability. After having determined the solutions influenced by a weighting factor with two different battery models, dominant solutions are identified using specific metrics with the purpose of assessing the impact of the battery model on the determined solutions.

2019

D. Tudor and M. Paolone (2019) Optimal Design of the Propulsion System of a Hyperloop Capsule. IEEE Transactions on Transportation Electrification

Author(s): 

Abstract:

In this article, we focus on the assessment of the optimal design of the propulsion system (PS) of an energy-autonomous Hyperloop capsule supplied by batteries. The novelty in this article is to propose a sizing method for this specific transportation system and answer the question whether the energy and power requirements of the Hyperloop propulsion are compatible with available power-electronics and battery technologies. By knowing the weight of a predetermined payload to be transported along predetermined trajectories, the proposed sizing method minimizes the total number of battery cells that supply the capsule’s propulsion and maximizes its performance. The constraints embed numerically tractable and discrete-time models of the main components of the electrical PS and the battery, along with a kinematic model of the capsule. Although the optimization problem is nonconvex due to the adopted discrete-time formulation, its constraints exhibit a good numerical tractability. After having determined multiple solutions, we identify the dominant ones by using specific metrics. These solutions identify PSs characterized by energy reservoirs with an energy capacity in the order of 0.5 MWh and a power rating below 6.25 MW and enable an energy consumption of 10-50 Wh/km/passenger depending on the length of the trajectory.