Aerodynamic Design and Optimization of a Hyperloop Vehicle

Master thesis (2018)

Authors

F.T.H. Wong Aerospace Engineering

Contributors

A.H. van Zuijlen (supervisor 1)
L.L.M. Veldhuis (supervisor 2)
M. Voskuijl (supervisor 2)
Marinus van der Meijs (supervisor 2)
Faculty
Aerospace Engineering
Copyright: © 2018 Felix Wong
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Published Date

23-05-2018

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Abstract

The Hyperloop is a newly proposed transportation method which caters to the rising demand of high-speed transportation, while adhering to stringent emission requirements. This system comprises pods that are propelled through a partially evacuated tube at velocities of 300 m/s. The low-pressure environment paired with high-subsonic Mach numbers create an unconventional flow regime. This thesis project is an investigation on the aerodynamic characteristics of a Hyperloop pod, whereby an optimization is performed in order to find a pod shape that yields minimum drag. A low-fidelity solver is developed to perform the analysis and optimization. Investigations show a large pressure peak at the nose due to violation of the Kantrowitz limit. Furthermore, a blunt nose paired with a concavity in the tail section yield minimum drag due to the alleviation of the choked flow effect. The solver can readily be embodied into a larger, multi-disciplinary optimization framework.