Hyperloop

Why in news?

• The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government spelt out its priorities with regard to the State’s infrastructure projects by making no mention of the Mumbai-Ahmedabad bullet train project and the much-hyped Mumbai-Pune hyperloop project in its maiden budget.

About Hyperloop

• A Hyperloop is a proposed mode of passenger and freight transportation, first used to describe an open-source vactrain design released by a joint team from Tesla and SpaceX.

• Hyperloop is a sealed tube or system of tubes through which a pod may travel free of air resistance or friction conveying people or objects at high speed while being very efficient, thereby drastically reducing travel times over medium-range distances.

• There are two big differences between Hyperloop and traditional rail.

  • Firstly, the pods carrying passengers travel through tubes or tunnels from which most of the air has been removed to reduce friction. This should allow the pods to travel at up to 750 miles per hour.

  • Secondly, rather than using wheels like a train or car, the pods are designed to float on air skis, using the same basic idea as an air hockey table, or use magnetic levitation to reduce friction.

How does a Hyperloop tube work?

• The basic idea of Hyperloop as envisioned by Musk is that the passenger pods or capsules travel through a tube, either above or below ground.

• To reduce friction, most - but not all - of the air is removed from the tubes by pumps.

• The pods will get their velocity from an external linear electric motor - effectively a round induction motor rolled flat.

• Supporters argue that Hyperloop is significantly better than high-speed rail.

• It is lower cost and more energy efficient because, among other things, the track doesn't need to provide power to the pods continuously and, because the pods can leave every 30 seconds, it's more like an on-demand service.

• It's also potentially two or three times faster than even high-speed rail (and ten times the speed of regular rail services).

Prelims Question

Q.Which of the following statements regarding Hyperloop is/are correct?
1. It is touted to be two to three times faster than high-speed rail
2. Pods travel through tubes or tunnels from which most of the air has been removed to reduce friction
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
a. 1 only
b. 2 only
c. Both 1 and 2
d. Neither 1 nor 2

Answer to the Prelims Question