Vibration analysis of a hyperloop pod with a novel hybrid levitation in accelerating and braking maneuvers

Abstract

Hyperloop, a very high-speed transportation system including a pod transporting the passengers in a tube, forms the core debate in numerous recent investigations. The present paper, furthering the current advanced findings, proposes a novel hybrid levitation including Electro-Dynamic Suspension (EDS) and air cushions for the pod in the hyperloop system. It also presents a vibrational model for the hybrid levitation pod to predict the vibration behavior of the pod in accelerating and braking maneuvers. In this regard, an industrial pod is designed conceptually by performing preliminary calculations. Via CFD simulations in Ansys Fluent software, we hold forth a nonlinear dynamic model for the air cushions. Then, the paper analyzes a 3-DOF vibration model of the pod and verifies it by comparing the related results with obtained ones from the MSc ADAMS software. Afterward, the mentioned vibration model is developed into a 7-DOF model to predict the vibration behavior of the pod in accelerating and braking maneuvers. Also, the governing dynamic equations of the system are derived and numerically solved. Finally, the vibration behavior of the pod in different accelerating and braking conditions is investigated.