Author(s): Zhou Yan, Liu Hailong, Jia Wenguang, Li Qingling, School of Electromechanical Engineering, Qingdao University of Science and Technology
Pages: 1301-1305
Year: 2016 Issue:  11
Journal: Vacuum Science and Technology
Keyword:  Tube transportation; Evacuated tube transportation; Energy consumption; Numerical Simulation; System pressure; Blockage ratio;
Abstract: The total energy,consumed in evacuated tube transportation( ETT) including the train-driving and vacuum-pumping powers,was mathematically formulated with the train’s differential pressure model and numerically simulated. The influence of ETT conditions,such as the pressure,aerodynamicdrag,speed and blockage-ratio,on the total energy consumption was investigated. The simulated results show that the pressure,speed and blockage-ratio significantly affect the total power. For example,at a given speed,as the pressure increases,the total power sharply increases because the rapid increase of driving-power overrides the slow decrease of pumping-power. As the blockage-ratio increases( reduces the tube-radius / construction-cost),the total power is fairly low at a pressure below25250 Pa,at which the blockage-ratio dependent energy consumption curves intersect; however,at a pressure above25250 Pa,a higher blockage ratio increases the total power because the fast increase of driving-power overweighs the slow decrease of pumping-power.