Avishkar Hyperloop is engaged in Hyperloop research for many years, and we have developed many novel technologies needed for an efficient, scalable and cost-effective Hyperloop. The latest third iteration of our pod was designed entirely remotely during the pandemic, and with it, we have implemented many ambitious mechanisms in various modules. After the design and promising simulation results, we are now manufacturing a subscale pod to test and validate the mechanisms.
The Pod's chassis is designed to bear the various loads and vibrations which could occur during Pod's motion. The variable thickness monocoque chassis, constructed with CFRP layers and multiple cores, weighs around 11 kgs. Shell, on the other hand, is designed with a bullet nose shape in mind to protect the components from the atmosphere and minimize drag.
We have developed an eddy current magnetic braking system to ensure contactless and fail-proof braking of the Pod. The system consists of strong permanent magnets in Halbach arrangement and a pneumatic actuator system. The result is a safer, maintainable and scalable braking system.
Our Pod's vertical as well as lateral suspension mechanisms are designed to favour track holding. The vertical mechanism uses a fuzzy logic controller paired with a displacement sensor to get closed-loop control of the damping coefficient of the magneto-rheological damper. This gives a semi-active control to smoothen vibration due to any track irregularities.
The Power System network consists of a primary battery pack for propulsion and a smaller secondary pack for control circuits, BMS, relays and sensors. The scalable Battery Management System developed in-house tracks the current, voltage, state of charge and temperature of individual cells and performs cell balancing. The primary pack has a DC voltage of 240V and a peak current capacity of 200A.
We have developed the novel Linear Induction Motor to enable contactless propulsion in our Pod. An optimum balance of phase current, turns, tooth width and several other physical and electrical parameters was achieved to maximize the thrust. We also succeeded in coming up with a novel method to counter end-effects, a phenomenon known to reduce thrust in LIMs.
The inverter is the heart of our Pod's propulsion system. It takes the DC power from the battery and provides an alternating current supply of variable voltage and frequency to the Linear Induction Motor for propulsion. This is done with the help of high-frequency semiconductor switching devices. It will also be crucial in our upcoming implementations of regenerative braking and levitation.
Controls and Communications module optimizes the Pod's performance using robust control algorithms to ensure a smooth and safe operation of the Pod. We accomplish this by monitoring inputs from various sensors, controlling the LIM and brakes, and monitor them from the remote base station through an interactive GUI.
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