Hyperloop System Optimization

Abstract

Hyperloop system design is a uniquely coupled problem because it involves the simultaneous design of a complex, high-performance vehicle and its accompanying infrastructure. In the clean-sheet design of this new mode of highspeed mass transportation there is an excellent opportunity for the application of rigorous system optimization techniques. This work presents a system optimization tool, HOPS, that has been adopted as a central component of the Virgin Hyperloop design process. We discuss the choice of objective function, the use of a convex optimization technique called geometric programming, and the level of modeling fidelity that has allowed us to capture the system's many intertwined, and often recursive, design relationships. We also highlight the ways in which the tool has been used. Because organizational confidence in a model is as vital as its technical merit, we close with discussion of the measures taken to build stakeholder trust in HOPS.

Algebraic perspectives on signomial optimization

“…Nonconvex signomial programs have been used in chemical engineering since the 1970's [3,20,23]. More recently, there has been a surge of interest in nonconvex signomial programming for aerospace engineering and transportation systems; see [29,54,72] for academic work on this topic and [37] for an industrial example. The conceptual source of these signomial models in engineering is the simple practice of modeling systems with non-polynomial power laws [27,28].…”

Numerical Analysis of Aerodynamic Drag for the Hyperloop System

“…One of the essential characteristics in the analysis of fast-moving objects, especially within confined tubes (low-pressure), is drag [5][6]. The design of the Hyperloop system is a highly-coupled optimization problem with numerous recursive layout relationships from an engineering viewpoint [7]. Lowering the drag reduces the energy load of the propulsion system.…”