Numerical Analysis of Aerodynamic Drag for the Hyperloop System

Abstract

The Hyperloop vehicle is a means of transport in which the pod advances at a fast velocity inside a low-pressure tube to reduce the coefficient of drag. Aerodynamic drag is one of the most significant elements to consider while studying such systems. The design was created on ANSYS SpaceClaim and it consists of a Two-Dimensional model with tapered ends to diminish the drag. Since both ends are tapered, the drag is reduced significantly as compared to the other designs. In this paper, the pod design is analyzed at different speeds, namely 60 ms-1, 120 ms-1, 180 ms-1, 260 ms-1, and 300 ms-1 on ANSYS FLUENT and numerical simulations were performed keeping the blockage ratio fixed. Appropriate conditions, equations and k-epsilon turbulence model were applied to produce the desired result. All the drag coefficient values were analyzed, and hence, the graph was plotted. It was observed that the drag coefficient of the pod decreases with an increase in velocity.