CN112654524A - Method for using air and helium in low pressure pipeline transportation system - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for maintaining a gas composition within a pipeline that is part of a pipeline transport system for transporting passengers or cargo via a cabin is disclosed. The method comprises the following steps: (a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated; (b) identifying a predetermined power value; (c) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and the leak rate associated with the pipeline; (d) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

Description

Method for using air and helium in low pressure pipeline transportation system

Technical Field

The present invention relates generally to the field of pipeline transportation. More particularly, the present invention relates to a method of using air and helium in low pressure pipeline transport systems.

Background

Recent efforts to develop a new way of transportation, called hyper by Elon Musk, that is high speed and efficient began in 2013 and published a technical white paper. A team of scientists at Space-X and Tesla written this paper to define the technical advantages and engineering requirements for manufacturing such devices.

In essence, Hyperloop is a system in which a chamber is suspended in a duct at low pressure (and thus at low air density). Levitation significantly reduces ground friction. Low air density significantly reduces air resistance.

The white paper suggests that a cabin supported by an aerial slide travels inside a vacuum line at an absolute pressure of 100pascal (pa) and is propelled by a linear induction motor. An air compressor is placed at the nose of the cabin to provide air to the sled plate and increase the speed capability of the cabin. The inclusion of a large compressor increases cabin speed, but requires a large battery array to power it during a hyper trip. In addition, this takes up valuable space in the passenger compartment and adds significant complexity. Several groups immediately noticed the white paper and started to develop the system proposed in the white paper.

Some design teams participating in this development abandon the skateboarding concept because it requires only 0.020 "to 0.040" of sled-to-pipe distance, which would make it difficult to maintain smooth ride while accommodating pipe and installation tolerances. An alternative to skateboards is the magnetic Levitation (maglev Levitation) based system. Such a magnetic levitation system would eliminate the need for a compressor, thereby reducing the size/weight of the cabin and providing developers with the additional advantages of increased space and reduced vibration.

However, the removal of the compressor in the design creates another major problem in such pipeline-based transportation systems. In the original design outlined in the Musk white paper, the compressor serves as an important component of increasing the speed of the cabin, wherein this increase is not due to the thrust provided to push the cabin down the duct, but to the reduction of the effective forward area of the cabin. In the Musk design, the compressor provides a second path to direct air from the front of the cabin to the rear of the cabin, thereby increasing the annular area between the cabin and the duct. The ratio of the annulus to the total duct area (referred to as the bypass ratio) is a key predictor of blockage. Once the chamber reaches a speed at which clogging occurs in the bypass area, the chamber will act as a large plunger, creating a syringe effect. At that critical point, known as the Kantrowitz limit (or K-limit), the large resistance due to the pushing of the column of air in front of the cabin requires significantly more energy and power to overcome. Overcoming the blocking or K-limit and achieving a significant reduction in the K-limit impact is a key technical issue.

The problems associated with drag and choked flow phenomena are now discussed. FIG. 1 depicts a schematic view of a vehicle (also referred to as a tank or cabin) within a pipeline (from: see the paper entitled "Open-Source capacitive Sizing for the Hyperloop Passenger Pod" by Chin et al, 1 month, 5 days to 9 days 2015).

Drag is primarily a contribution of two components: pressure resistance and frictional resistance. The pressure resistance is the pressure exerted when the vehicle moves forward and pushes air. Frictional resistance is the viscous force exerted by air flowing around the carrier surface. The resistance is given by the following equation:

wherein:

ρ_tubepressure in the pipeline, absolute value;

S_podthe surface area of the tank; and

wherein, C_DIs a coefficient of resistance that includes pressure resistance and resistance due to frictional effects.

At EQN 1, the drag is proportional to the density. Thus, reducing the density has a substantial effect on the resistance and thus on the propulsion power. This may be achieved by a low pressure conduit. At EQN 1, the resistance is proportional to the square of the velocity. Thus, the resistance rises rapidly as the speed increases.

Reducing the density around the vehicle is a historical idea that was first applied in the field of aeronautics. The aircraft flies at high altitude which is subject to low density and therefore low drag. In low pressure pipelines, the environment is controlled to reduce the density. However, reducing the pressure is only one of the different options for reducing the density (other options are increasing the temperature and using light gases). Thus, in low pressure pipelines, even at high speeds, it is expected that the resistance will decrease significantly (this is true until a certain limit speed is reached) due to the lower density.

When the vehicle reaches high subsonic speeds, undesirable flow phenomena can occur. In the bypass gap in fig. 1, the air flowing around the vehicle is blocked. This results in a significant increase in pressure in front of the vehicle. In turn, the resistance increases and the required propulsion power becomes greater. A description of the physical phenomenon of choked flow is now provided, with the key physics being related to the speed of sound.

As the vehicle moves forward, it pushes air forward, which increases the upstream pressure. Since the rear of the vehicle is still at a low pressure, a pressure differential is created. The pressure wave traveling from behind the vehicle to in front of the vehicle transmits the downstream pressure state forward and informs of the pressure difference, e.g., a spring. In response, air mass in front of the vehicle escapes through the bypass gap. As long as enough air escapes to the rear, equilibrium is established and the pressure remains relatively low. Therefore, the air flow rate must compensate for the pressure difference between the front and the rear. Then, there is equilibrium. This balancing mechanism is shown in fig. 2.

However, when the vehicle reaches high speed, the airflow accelerates in the bypass gap and may reach sonic speed. Thus, the airflow in the bypass becomes as fast as the pressure wave in the opposite direction. As a result, the pressure wave cannot travel back against the airstream and never reaches the upstream location. Thus, information of the downstream pressure state can no longer pass through the sonic flow point and the pressure difference cannot be transmitted to the front of the cabin. The pressure difference is not well known by the upstream air and the right amount of air no longer flows to the low pressure area behind the cabin. This blocking scenario is depicted in fig. 3. A column of air builds up in front of the vehicle and the upstream pressure rises. This choked flow is referred to as the Kantrowitz limit. The result is that the upstream pressure increases significantly due to the carrier motion acting as a large plunger and the resistance increases accordingly. Thus, the power requirements to maintain vehicle speed become very high.

Fig. 4 depicts a resistance versus vehicle speed graph identifying a critical vehicle speed defining the pressure balance scenario described in fig. 2 and the choked flow scenario described in fig. 3.

Thus, one key physics is to let pressure waves reach the front of the vehicle, where they must be faster than the airflow in the bypass gap. It should be noted that this phenomenon occurs if the bypass gap is small, since the air flow will accelerate further in a small cross section. Unfortunately, for engineering applications, the vehicle size is to be maximized to accommodate passengers or cargo. In other words, the bypass gap size should be minimized. Therefore, the problem is: how fast the vehicle can travel with small bypass sizes?

Formally, the maximum vehicle speed at which choked flow occurs can be defined. This maximum speed has been studied in the aforementioned paper by Chin et al (2015). FIG. 5, taken from Chin et al (2015), depicts a plot of bypass area ratio (bypass/duct) versus bypass air flow Mach number. Figure 5 shows that for reasonable vehicle sizes (bypass area less than 50% of the duct area), the maximum vehicle speed is approximately mach 0.25. This corresponds to 300 km/h. This is clearly unacceptable for this novel transport system.

There are several ways to solve this problem. One solution mentioned in the white paper of Elon Musk is to use an axial compressor in front of the cabin. This design is described in the aforementioned paper by Chin et al, which is reproduced in FIG. 6 (A). In the scenario depicted in fig. 6(a), the compressor forces a portion of the air into the interior path of the vehicle interior, rather than just moving in the bypass gap. The effect is to greatly increase the net bypass area for air flow and thereby avoid acceleration and blockage phenomena at low vehicle speeds. Fig. 6(B) depicts a resistance curve (as indicated in the above-mentioned paper by chi et al) showing a maximum vehicle speed Ma of 0.6 before a jamming phenomenon occurs. This corresponds to 600 km/h. Although the speed increase is of interest, it is still far from higher speeds (e.g., target speed of 1,000 km/h).

A disadvantage of the approach described in fig. 6(a) - (B) is that the installation of the compressor introduces significant cost, complexity of the vehicle design, and safety issues. With respect to safety, open engine failure (UERF), in which the compressor blades are cracked, damages the vehicle itself, the piping and other vehicles and creates high limitations in the development of such transportation systems.

Another solution, as described in the white paper of Elon Musk mentioned earlier, is to reduce the pipe environment to very low pressures. It is expected that at sufficiently low line pressures, the spacing of the gas molecules will become so far apart that these gas molecules will flow around the chamber without clogging. If the choking effect is still present, the resistance increases, but the power used to propel the column of air at such very low air densities is not significant. At very low pressures (below 0.1Pa-1Pa), air is no longer considered as a physical continuum as in traditional fluid dynamics, but must be handled using molecular flow theory. It is expected that no clogging phenomenon occurs or the influence of the clogging phenomenon becomes small in such a flow state. This is so because of the pressure, if any, that the resistance is not sufficiently light.

A disadvantage of the second solution is that the power requirements, costs and engineering design to maintain extremely low pressures in such large volumes are very large. When the target line pressure falls below 100Pa, the pumping power requirement for maintaining the vacuum rises exponentially. When below 1Pa, the pumping power requirement becomes very large. However, in such transport systems, the boundary between classical fluid dynamics and molecular flow is not clearly demonstrated. Therefore, efforts have been directed to modeling fluid dynamics and pressure to find the critical pressure below which high speed and low drag can be achieved.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) was used to investigate this problem. One difficulty with CFD modeling is that the low pressure range that needs to be modeled is beyond normal continuum flow dynamics, and therefore it is difficult for standard computer models to provide reliable output. Worse still, the required vacuum (line pressure) requires a very large vacuum pump system and consumes a lot of energy. Therefore, a trade-off needs to be made to explore the 1-10 pascal absolute pressure range that is considered low enough to provide the Kantrowitz limit coping process, but high enough to make the vacuum pump system economical.

Several difficulties of CFD models quickly manifest themselves: (1) the pressure range is in the transition flow region between continuum flow and molecular flow; obtaining reliable data through the pressure region becomes difficult because different modeling tools must be used for each region, (2) many assumptions need to be made that have not yet been validated; therefore, there is a need to develop testing equipment to validate computer models, and (3) there is currently no computer in the commercial field with the ultra-high processing power required to handle the complexity of the moving cabin inside the duct. This leads to another untested assumption-the effectiveness of modeling a fixed cabin with moving air around it, rather than a moving cabin through stationary air inside the duct, is correct. Testing the validity of this hypothesis would again require testing equipment.

Efforts to find theoretical and economic pressures that allow high speed and low drag have become the focus of various development groups. It is clear that at a certain pressure the clogging phenomenon will be negligible. This is evidenced by the fact that aircraft flying at pressures near earth orbit, near and beyond the transition region to molecular flow, experience nearly zero drag. Below this critical pressure point and with a particular duct/chamber geometry, there will be a high speed and low resistance capability.

The prior art methods suggest the use of hydrogen to accomplish this rate increase. In such prior art systems, the pipe operates at atmospheric pressure (or slightly above atmospheric pressure) and has at least the following disadvantages:

1) at atmospheric pressure, the standard volume of hydrogen (or other small diameter gas) required to fill a 4 meter diameter pipeline (perhaps 100 to 500km in length) is significantly beyond anything currently being constructed. The preferred technique, however, operates at atmospheric pressures of 1/1,000 to 1/10,000, so that the gas mass required per kilometre is also 1/1000 to 1/10,000,

2) a method of suggesting replacement of air in the pipe with hydrogen is not described, and

3) although hydrogen is not flammable at concentrations above 75%, significant safety issues occur if a pipe rupture event occurs that will introduce air into the pipe and potentially reach flammable or explosive ratios. The pipe break event must be planned for and can be expected to occur at some point due to an earthquake, due to damage from handling, or even deliberately.

Another prior art, german patent publication DE 2054063 a1, discloses a high speed passenger and container mass transit system using helium gas. However, the german patent publication, much like current pipeline-based transportation systems, fails to utilize a mixture of air and helium, wherein the composition of each gas in the mixture is dynamically determined to optimize drag. Furthermore, the german patent discloses that, much like current pipeline-based transport systems, it fails to utilize a mixture of air and helium, wherein the composition of each gas is dynamically determined according to the desired velocity of the cabin.

The objects of the present invention are not achieved or met despite the exact benefits, features and advantages of the above-cited references and the above-mentioned prior art systems.

Disclosure of Invention

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a method for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit disposed along at least one predetermined route, the method comprising: (a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated; (b) identifying a predetermined power value; (c) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and the leak rate associated with the pipeline; (e) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

In another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit disposed along at least one predetermined route, the method comprising: (a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated; (b) identifying a predetermined power value; (c) identifying a desired cabin speed; (d) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and the desired cabin speed identified in (c) and the leak rate associated with each conduit; (e) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

In yet another embodiment, the present invention provides a method for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit disposed along at least one predetermined route, the method comprising: (a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated; (b) for each of a plurality of bypass ratios and a plurality of leak rates, storing in memory data representing a first total power range, a second percentage helium range, and a third pipeline pressure range, each total power in the total power range representing a power value that is a function of a first power to pump each pipeline to a substantially empty state and a second power to overcome aerodynamic drag in each pipeline; (c) identifying a predetermined power value; (d) identifying a desired cabin speed; (e) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the data stored in (b) corresponding to the predetermined power value identified in (c), the desired cabin speed identified in (d), and the leak rate associated with each of the conduits; and (f) maintaining a gas composition within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

Drawings

Fig. 1 depicts a schematic view of a vehicle (also referred to as a pod or cabin) within a pipeline-based transportation system.

Fig. 2 depicts a balancing mechanism, wherein when a pressure wave reaches the front of the vehicle, an appropriate amount of air flow escapes to the rear of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 shows a blockage phenomenon that occurs when a pressure wave from the rear of the vehicle does not reach the front of the vehicle.

Fig. 4 depicts a resistance versus vehicle speed graph identifying critical vehicle speeds defining the pressure balance scenario described in fig. 2 and the choked flow scenario described in fig. 3.

FIG. 5 depicts a graph of bypass area ratio (bypass/duct) versus bypass airflow Mach number.

Fig. 6(a) depicts a scenario in which an axial compressor is used in front of a cabin in a duct-based transportation system.

Fig. 6(B) depicts the resistance as a function of vehicle speed in the context of fig. 6 (a).

Fig. 7 depicts table 2, which shows the distinguishing features of the lightest gases, where helium and hydrogen have the lowest densities.

Fig. 8 depicts table 3, which indicates a list of sound entry velocities for various gases.

Fig. 9 depicts table 4, which shows the mean free path of different molecules.

FIG. 10 depicts a view of a 2D grid used in the present simulation.

FIG. 11 depicts Table 5 comparing air density to helium at 100 Pa.

FIG. 12 depicts a graph showing drag coefficients for air and helium from a 2D simulation.

Fig. 13 investigates the effect of density by plotting the actual resistance of the 3D cabin against the cabin speed.

Fig. 14 depicts a graph showing power reduction based on the use of a light gas.

Fig. 15 depicts the results of a CFD study comparing the maximum velocity at the K-limit achievable due to changes in the helium-air mixture.

Fig. 16 depicts identifying cabin speed for a given power requirement for a particular combination of air and helium.

FIG. 17 shows a comparison of resistance versus velocity plots at the Kantrowitz limit for four base line pressures from 1-1000Pa and for the percentage of helium in air.

FIG. 18 shows a graph of power versus speed in which the power requirements are examined for various pressures and various air-helium mixtures to identify an optimal operating range.

Fig. 19 shows a plot of resistance versus speed, just as fig. 17, but for a lower bypass ratio of 0.208.

Fig. 20 shows a power versus speed plot as in fig. 18, but for a lower bypass ratio of 0.208.

FIG. 21 shows a comparison of two non-limiting bypass ratio examples used in the present disclosure, and an example calculation of how the bypass ratio is calculated in each case.

Fig. 22 shows that for certain gas mixtures of helium and air, the helium in the low bypass system (0.208) does allow velocity compared to the high bypass (0.489) region.

FIG. 23 shows a table that plots volumetric loading at 50slm/km as a percentage of helium.

FIG. 24 shows a table that plots volumetric loading at 5slm/km as a percentage of helium.

Fig. 25 depicts a plot of pumping power (in kW) versus percentage of helium for various pressures.

26A-C show the sum of power demands (kW) to balance air resistance at pressures of 1000Pa, 100Pa, and 10Pa for various cabin speeds for the percentages of helium and air, respectively.

Figure 27 depicts a plot of total power (in kW) combined pumping power and aerodynamic power versus percentage of helium at 100Pa for various speeds.

28A-C depict such a non-limiting example, where the same analysis as FIGS. 25-27 is performed for a leak of 5 slm/km.

Fig. 29 shows how the graphs depicted in fig. 25-27 are combined to provide the optimum operating point for power (cost) and helium-air ratio.

Fig. 30 shows a graph of diffusion coefficients of various gases in air.

Fig. 31 depicts a first embodiment comprising a set of helium tanks assembled uniformly along the length of the pipeline, wherein the helium gas is injected using a controlled valve that can be opened or closed to maintain the desired level of helium gas.

Fig. 32 depicts a second embodiment comprising a helium tank embedded in a carrier.

Fig. 33 depicts a method that combines the methods of fig. 31 and 32.

FIG. 34 depicts one embodiment of a method of the present invention for maintaining a gas composition within a pipe as part of a pipe transportation system, wherein the percentage of helium is identified based on a predetermined power value and a leak rate associated with each pipe.

Fig. 35 depicts another embodiment of the method of the present invention for maintaining a gas composition within a pipe as part of a pipe transportation system, wherein the percentage of helium is identified based on a predetermined power value, a desired cabin speed, and a leak rate associated with each pipe.

Fig. 36 depicts yet another embodiment of the method of the present invention for maintaining a gas composition within a pipeline as part of a pipeline transport system, wherein the percentage of helium is identified based on stored data corresponding to predetermined power values, desired cabin speeds, and leak rates associated with each pipeline.

Detailed Description

While the invention has been shown and described in the preferred embodiments, the device can be made in many different constructions, forms and materials. There is depicted in the drawings, and will herein be described in detail, a preferred embodiment of the invention with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered as an exemplification of the principles of the invention and the functional specifications associated with its construction and is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment illustrated. Those skilled in the art will envision many other possible variations that are within the scope of the invention.

As indicated in the background, recent efforts to increase cabin speed have focused on reducing duct pressure or increasing bypass ratio through the use of compressors. As previously mentioned, reducing the line pressure does have advantages at some critical vacuum levels, but at the expense of greatly increasing the vacuum pump capacity and cost. There are some benefits to adding a compressor in front of the cabin, but this only slightly increases the speed and is costly and complicated.

The present invention overcomes the traps associated with the prior art by using a mixture of air and helium (with various ratios as will be described later) to modify fluid properties such as speed of sound, which enables high vehicle speeds to be achieved with acceptable propulsion power. Advantages of using a mixture of air and helium include achieving different fluid properties such as reduced density, higher sonic velocity, and higher molecular free path. These different fluid characteristics can significantly reduce the drag of the vehicle and the required propulsion power.

It should be noted that having field density (about one-seventh) has a substantially direct impact on drag and propulsion power. Drag is proportional to density (and in the context of pipeline-based transportation, any method for reducing density is useful), which is why the aircraft is flying at high altitude (low density) and why low pressure pipelines (low density) are considered. The present invention indicates another way to achieve low density by using light gas instead of standard air. In addition, the present invention is not limited to density reduction because it also utilizes higher acoustic speed and higher molecular free path as possible methods to counteract the Kantrowitz limit.

The invention discloses mixing different gases lighter than air, wherein the gases have smaller molecular diameters. There are many gases that meet the requirement of having gas molecules smaller than air. The subject of this patent application is the use of helium gas, which has attractive properties that can be utilized in pipeline-based transportation systems. Although the air in the duct may be completely replaced with helium, this may be difficult to achieve. In contrast, the present invention discloses the use of mixtures of air and helium (discussed in detail later in this patent application) with various ratios that still have interesting properties while also providing a lower cost implementation (compared to the prior art systems described previously and to the equivalent system using only helium).

It must be noted that the costs associated with replacing the air, wholly or partially, with other gases may be justified. Since the pressure is low, in standard applications about 100Pa, the amount of gas injected in the tube should be kept low. Table 1 below shows the gas mass in the tube for different percentages of air and helium mixtures.

TABLE 1

Table 1 demonstrates that whether pure helium or a mixture of helium and air is considered for useThe amount of helium sprayed into the 10km pipe was low. At 100Pa, the entire 10km pipeline may run at $ 300 $ (C.), (

He) is filled with pure helium. However, it is not possible to maintain 100% helium content in large welded pipes due to air leakage from the outside of the pipe. It is an object of the art to define an optimal percentage of helium and air that reduces drag in a pipeline.

Some advantages of the invention are listed below. Lighter-than-air gases have lower density, higher sonic velocity, and higher mean free path. At the same time, this provides at least three advantages. The first advantage is that the gas density can be significantly reduced. Since the resistance is proportional to the density, the decrease in gas density directly affects the resistance. Table 2 below shows the densities at atmospheric pressure of typical gases extracted from the website (source: Engineering Toolbox website).

Table 2, as shown in fig. 7, depicts the distinguishing features of the lightest gases, where the helium and hydrogen densities are the lowest. At atmospheric pressure, helium has a density of 7 times that of air. At a line pressure of 100Pa, the ratio is the same, which means that a reduction of the resistance by about 7-fold can be expected. This is a fundamental advantage for high speed transport: i.e. by reducing the density to reduce the drag.

There are two possibilities to replace part of the air with a lighter gas:

lower density (and therefore reduced propulsion power) at the same ambient pressure; or either

Run at higher ambient pressure and reach the same density (thus reducing the pumping power).

Thus, the smaller diameter gas has a lower density, which reduces the drag on the chamber. The combined use of air and helium (in certain predetermined ratios, as will be described in detail below) allows for higher cabin speeds, reduced vacuum pump size and cost. This combination of gases significantly improves pipeline-based high-speed transportation technology and will reduce costs and increase economics and commercial viability.

Another advantage is that the speed of sound can be increased. As shown in the above section, high sound speed allows for higher vehicle speed without blocking airflow. The sound velocity of a gas is given by the following equation:

wherein γ is a specific ratio, R_gasIs a gas constant (8.3145J/kg/K), W_gasIs the gas molecular mass (kg/mol) and T is the fluid temperature. According to EQN 2, the speed of sound can be increased by changing the molecular mass. In particular, light gases have a high acoustic velocity.

Table 3, as shown in FIG. 8, is a list of sound entry rates for various gases (source: Engineering Toolbox website):

as can be seen from table 3, the lightest gases are particularly prominent in terms of sound entry velocity. Helium and hydrogen have the highest sound velocity. Helium has three times the sound velocity of air, while hydrogen has four times the sound velocity of air. For the purposes of this patent application, it is preferred to use helium in the piping (since flammability issues must be addressed with respect to hydrogen, which requires some design changes).

Referring again to the example from the above-described paper by Chin et al (2015), it was shown that in air-filled ducts the highest vehicle speed is about Mach 0.25, i.e. 300km/h for air. Since the speed of sound of helium is three times that of air, mach 0.25 in helium corresponds to 900 km/h. Thus, the present invention achieves substantial gains by merely changing the properties of the gas without changing any other in the duct or chamber design.

Referring to the same example, now consider a mixture of air and helium in the duct, which may be more readily available. The sound velocity of the mixture being

c＝(R_mixγ_mixT)^0.5 (EQN.3)

Wherein R is_mixIs the specific gas constant, gamma, of the mixture_mixIs the specific heat ratio of the mixture, and T is the temperature. For corresponding to massIs a mixture of (17% air and; 83% helium) by volume (60% air; 40% helium) and has a sound velocity of 664m/s, which is twice the sound velocity in pure air. Referring to the example of Chin et al (2015), in the above mixture of air and helium, the highest velocity of Mach 0.25 in air of 300km/h now becomes 600km/h according to the teachings of the present invention. This gain is achieved without any other modification to the duct or cabin.

A simpler approach to looking at this can make the solution easier to understand. The Kantrowitz limit occurs when the gas flowing around the chamber is choked, i.e. at mach 1 velocity. Air at standard temperature has a Mach 1 of 331 m/s. Smaller molecule gases have higher acoustic velocities, which allows these gases to flow faster before becoming blocked. The chamber does not experience choked flow until the preferred and higher mach speeds are reached.

Thus, the smaller diameter gas allows for higher velocity before entering the sonic zone. The geometry of the chamber and duct will still determine when a blockage occurs, but in the case of air, the blockage still occurs at a relatively low velocity of 331 m/s. By switching to a gas or gas mixture with a higher mach number velocity, e.g. 972m/s for helium and 1,290m/s for hydrogen, a higher cabin velocity can be achieved before blockage occurs. Note that the cabin cannot avoid the K limit, but increases the speed at which the K limit becomes an issue.

Finally, another advantage is that the free path of the gas can be increased. If the mean free path is large enough, the assumption of fluid continuum will no longer hold and the fluid must be processed using molecular flow theory. As mentioned above, this makes it possible, due to the difference in physics, that no blocking phenomena are present.

The Knudsen number is used to estimate whether the gas can be considered a continuum or molecular flow. If Kn <0.001, continuity holds; and for Kn >0.01, molecular flow is true. In between, transition regions occur, which may also be of interest.

The Knudsen number compares the mean free path λ of the molecule to the characteristic dimension L (length or diameter) of the carrier. Thus, a molecular flow region can be achieved by increasing the mean free path.

The mean free path is given by the following equation:

where k is the Botzmann constant, P is the pressure, and d is the molecular diameter.

From EQN.5, it can be seen that the mean free path is increased by decreasing the pressure P or decreasing the molecular diameter d_mAnd then the operation is completed.

However, the important insight comes from rearranging the basic Knudsen equation (i.e., eqn.4). The pressure term appears in the denominator of eqn.5 and can be directly looked at the pressure required to produce Kn numbers in the numerator range. A suitably low pressure number does produce a large Kn value and leads to the following conclusion: pressure is again the best way to find a working area where the K limit becomes insignificant.

The most effective Kn value can be obtained not only by lowering the pressure alone but also by changing the gas molecular diameter d in the denominator of the extended mean free path_mTo obtain (EQN.5).

As before, it was explained that in order to obtain molecular flow, for a pipe with air, the pressure must be reduced below 1 Pa. This requires a very large pumping power to achieve such low pressures. Conversely, by using a smaller diameter gas (light gas), the mean free path can be increased. Table 4 depicted in FIG. 9 shows the mean free path (source: Pfeiffer-Vacuum website) for different molecules.

From table 4, it can be seen that helium has one of the highest mean free paths, about three times that of air. This means that the molecular flow region can be reached at a higher pressure, which is about three times the pressure if air. Thus, in the present invention, the need for a pump to effect molecular flow is significantly reduced.

Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were performed with a two-dimensional configuration of a pipeline transport system. The configuration is a 2D plane. The simulation is an approximation of the real world situation in 3D. Nevertheless, useful insight is provided regarding the dependence of the resistance on the vehicle speed and gas. The 2D planar CFD provides a drag coefficient at different vehicle speeds. These drag coefficients can then be used to estimate the actual drag on the 3D actual cabin. The drag coefficient and estimated drag on the 3D actual cabin are presented.

A view of the 2D grid used in the present simulation using the schematic of chi et al (2015) shown in fig. 1 is shown in fig. 10. The tube diameter was 4m and the bypass to tube area ratio was about 0.489. These numbers are similar to previous studies from Chin et al (2015). However, in sharp contrast to Chin et al (2015), the present invention operates at 100Pa pressure using a mixture of air and helium. Note that the operating density of helium is about one-seventh of air. Therefore, the resistance is expected to be reduced by one-seventh.

Fig. 11 depicts table 5 listing mass density plots for both air and helium at 100 Pa. As previously described, a density reduction of more than seven times (0.00116/0.00016) results in a similar rate (i.e., seven times) of drag reduction. This advantage still holds at different pressures within the continuum. (Note: the bypass ratio is sometimes shown as 0.488 or 0.489 due to rounding errors)

In the following results, the drag coefficient and the estimated drag on the actual 3D construction are shown simultaneously.

As previously described in eqn.1, drag is related to the drag coefficient:

the 2D simulation provides drag coefficients at different tank speeds. Then, by multiplying the drag coefficient by

To obtain an estimated 3D resistance, where p_tubeIs the operating density of the pipeline, V_podIs the cabin velocity, and S_podIs the front surface area of the capsule.

Fig. 12 depicts a graph showing drag coefficients for air and helium from a 2D simulation. When the velocity exceeds the Kantrowitz limit, the drag coefficient will increase significantly. Note that the Kantrowitz limit for helium is reached at a velocity of about three times the velocity of air, which is consistent with expectations. It should also be noted that the resistance coefficients of helium and air are similar below the Kantrowitz limit (about 3.5 at 375 km/h). This is because the drag coefficient formula is drag divided by density.

Fig. 13 investigates the effect of density by plotting the actual resistance of the 3D cabin against the cabin speed. The following graph illustrates the behavior of the estimated resistance for a helium and air actual 3D cell. Using the 2D drag coefficient and multiplying it by

To estimate the 3D resistance.

The graph in fig. 13 demonstrates two important requirements of the present invention:

1. benefits of Low Density

Consider a vehicle speed region below the Kantrowitz limit with both helium and air. The resistance of helium is lower than that of air. The helium resistance is about 5.5 times the air resistance for the same cabin speed of 300 km/h. This is close to the density ratio of 7 between air and helium.

2. Higher speeds before Kantrowitz limit is reached

The Kantrowitz limit velocity of helium is approximately three times that of air. Beyond the Kantrowitz limit, resistance begins to rise significantly with velocity due to clogging. The results shown in fig. 13 confirm that helium can reach three times the velocity of air before the Kantrowitz limit is reached. Thus, helium can achieve a triple speed for reasonable power requirements. Thus, helium can allow the cabin speed to approach 1,000km/h before the Kantrowitz limit needs to be overcome.

The benefit of low drag directly corresponds to lower propulsion power requirements. Lower power equates to lower operating costs, which is the key to putting this technology into practice. Lower costs provide cheaper fares and more passenger capacity, making this technology the mainstream application.

Fig. 14 depicts a graph showing power reduction based on the use of a light weight gas, where the graph compares the requirements to overcome the aerodynamic drag of air and helium (at 100 Pa). The same power to counteract aerodynamic drag can reach speeds above 900kph in helium based systems, but only 425kph in air based pipelines. Double speed is achieved at the same aerodynamic power cost.

Thus, replacing air or part of the air in the duct with a light gas provides at least the following advantages: lower density (and therefore less drag, meaning lower propulsion power), higher acoustic speed (and therefore higher vehicle speed before the blockage phenomenon occurs), and higher mean free path (and therefore molecular flow is achieved with lower pumping power, and thus propulsion power is reduced since the blockage phenomenon can be avoided).

As previously explained, implementing a mixture of air and a light gas (e.g., helium) in the duct can significantly reduce the drag on the vehicle and thereby reduce the propulsion power required to overcome the drag. Other graphs are valuable for determining the optimum mixing percentage and pressure range for air and light weight gases.

Fig. 15 depicts the results of a CFD study comparing the maximum velocity at the K-limit achievable due to changes in the helium-air mixture. Drag is a useful indicator for plotting a graph against speed, since there is no economic advantage to achieving higher speeds if the drag increases accordingly.

At a line pressure of 100Pa, it is seen that as the percentage of helium increases, a speed increase is achieved. The vertical dashed line indicates the velocity at the K limit, first for pure air and finally for pure helium on the left. The second vertical line on the right is for a helium gas filled pipeline 100% by volume and shows the highest velocity in excess of 1200km/hr, with only a nominal increase in drag. Compared to the air maximum velocity line, it is noted that the achievable velocity increases by nearly a factor of three from 425km/hr to over 1,225 km/hr.

As previously mentioned, the cost of operation is a function of power. The optimal speed selection with respect to cost can be qualitatively seen from the power versus gas mixture graph shown in fig. 16. For example, if the potential is about 27kW, a gas mixture of 5% air + 95% helium may be used to achieve a target speed of 800 km/hr.

The speed was almost doubled (compared to pure air) with the same power using a conservative 95% helium/5% air mixture. In addition, this mixture allows higher cabin speeds, but at the expense of higher propulsion power. This is an important consideration because it can be expected that in long haul and remote sections of the route, it will be necessary to provide propulsion from the cabin. This can only be provided by an onboard power supply until an improved contactless power transfer method is demonstrated. Thus, keeping the power low allows for the use of a smaller and lighter cabin power pack. Since the economics depend on the length, curvature and height variations within the line and the source of the propulsive power, the maximum speed does not guarantee the best operating costs.

In order to keep the discussion similar and also due to the ease of maintaining such a vacuum, the performance of light weight gases has been shown primarily at 100Pa pressure. However, there is a wider achievable pressure range that is subject to trade-offs. The results for the different pressure ranges are shown next, as the gas percentage is further optimized according to the operating pressure.

FIG. 17 shows a comparison of resistance versus velocity plots at Kantrowitz limits for four base line pressures from 1-1000Pa and the percentage of helium in air. First, note that for all pressures, the velocity at the Kantrowitz limit increases as the percentage of helium in the mixture increases. The velocity increase at the Kantrowitz limit is relatively less pressure dependent. Now, different graphs for various pressures are examined. These pressure comparisons were first made based on resistance and are most interesting for the lowest pressure state 1Pa, where low pressure and high helium percentages convert flow to laminar flow, thus resistance increases by 80% in the 1-100% helium range. Regardless of all combinations of air and helium, it can be seen that a 1000Pa duct generates a very high resistance. Of course, this would result in high propulsion power requirements, resulting in impractical cabin onboard energy storage systems.

It can be seen from the 1Pa pressure diagram that despite the laminar flow the resistance is still rather low and the power requirement is also low. However, the pumping power used to achieve this vacuum level combined with the expected air leakage rate (45SLM (standard liters per minute/km) would result in this pressure not being able to function without significant and more than offsetting capital expenditure costs.

At higher pressures (e.g. 10Pa) it is seen that the drag minimally increases as the vehicle speed doubles or more. This is a critical point to consider. Drag is one of the main power consumers that the propulsion system must overcome, the others being acceleration and gravity. Once the vehicle reaches operating speed and travels on level terrain, drag becomes the primary drain on power consumption for propulsion purposes. Thus, economical operation depends on minimizing resistance at the highest operating speeds and available vacuum levels. Note above that aerodynamic drag is shown to increase at a low rate (< 25%) when speed increases significantly. With only incremental resistance increases, operation at higher speeds can be achieved. Current high speed railways do not have this advantage and are therefore limited to lower speeds or higher power requirements or both.

FIG. 18 shows a power versus speed graph in which the power requirements are examined for various pressures and various air-helium mixtures to identify an optimal operating range. Aerodynamic power consumption plots with varying percentages of helium at pressures of 1,10, 100, and 1000 pascals are shown.

Based on extensive CFD operation, verified gas properties, and behavior at various pressures, the operating range may be narrowed based on power requirements. This is a major factor in determining the cost of operation-how much energy is needed and implemented for high speed operation. The power ranges depicted in fig. 18 for 100Pa and 10Pa can be achieved using current on-board storage system battery technology. Existing lithium ion batteries for automobiles have a capacity of 30-100kwh and therefore utilizing a plurality of these battery packs would be suitable to maintain cabin propulsion (overcoming the aerodynamic drag shown) to achieve a smooth and straight route with appropriate safety reserves. As previously mentioned, changes in height and radius of curvature both affect power requirements and are also encumbered by other factors such as propulsion, life support, etc. Due to the limited volume and available weight of the cabin-borne battery storage capacity, the opportunity to reduce battery power has been closely examined and must be compared to increased vacuum pumping power to obtain those lower pressures. At such large scales, low power states can be achieved with moderate helium percentages and reasonable vacuum levels.

The present invention shows that helium percentages in the range of 75% -99% in air are practical and effective for increasing cabin velocity from a base of 400kph in pure air to as high as 1,150kph in a mixture of 99% He and 1% air. As shown, a lower percentage of helium also results in improvement, but does not provide the best or most cost effective operating point due to the relatively low cost of helium. Helium percentages in the range of 75% -99% are practical for control by the current state-of-the-art mass flow controllers, sensors and control systems.

The invention also shows that an optimum line pressure in the range from 10 to 100Pa can be achieved economically. Pressures below 10Pa (e.g., 1 to 10Pa) show promise of reduced drag, but enter the laminar range and transition to lower maximum velocities at the K limit. However, it is clear that even in the very low pressure range below 1-10Pa helium shows that an increase in velocity can be achieved and thus from a velocity point of view the operating environment will be improved by the addition of helium. However, it is also interesting that the variation in power requirements is small compared to pure air systems. Thus, the power range at 1Pa is only 0.5 to 2.5kW with and without helium. In these pressure ranges (1-10Pa) the light weight gas system does not yield much incremental advantage in the drag/power regime. However, the maximum velocity did increase in large increments from 400kph to 1,150kph, and therefore, it is expected that operation below 10Pa will also contain large helium percentages, similar to the range of 10 to 100 Pa.

All previous analyses were performed with a bypass ratio of 0.489 (pipe diameter 4m and cabin area 6.4 m)²) Examples of pressures and helium percentages for best performance were made and shown. Now, different bypass ratios are analyzed.

FIG. 19 shows a resistance versus speed plot, as shown in FIG. 17, but for a lower bypass ratio of 0.208. FIG. 19 depicts a value of 0.208 (pipe diameter 4m and cabin area 10 m)²) And improved aerodynamic drag due to the use of light gas mixtures. The advantage of a larger bypass ratio is evident in any of the pressure profiles described above, since a speed increase of more than a factor of two is achievable with the.489 bypass compared to the.208 bypass. In long haul routes, the highest speed will be the main advantage, so a larger bypass ratio is preferred, but in short haul routes the speed advantage will be reduced and a smaller ratio is acceptable. Also, a smaller bypass ratio may be associated with low speed cargo operation during non-operating times and enable the use of larger cargo compartments in the same duct. Although the top speed is reduced by a smaller bypass ratio, advantages over pure air systems are still obtained.

Notably, the power requirements remain within a similar range for these two distinct bypass ratios 0.489 and 0.208. Different bypass ratios have a greater effect on maximum speed than on power. Since cabin power may be limited (e.g., due to battery energy density and available space), a low bypass system would be able to operate at this limited power, but with the disadvantage of a much reduced speed.

Fig. 20 shows a power versus speed plot, as shown in fig. 18, but for a lower bypass ratio of 0.208. As in fig. 18, the power requirements may be examined for various pressures and various air-helium mixtures to identify an optimal operating range. Since the low ratio system has higher resistance at the same speed, more power is required to reach the same speed. However, with the 0.208 bypass system, the maximum speed is still significantly increased compared to the 100% air system.

FIG. 21 shows a comparison of two non-limiting bypass ratio examples used in the present disclosure, and an example calculation of how the bypass ratio is calculated in each case. It should be noted that although the present disclosure uses two bypass ratios, namely 0.489 for the passenger compartment and 0.208 for the cargo compartment, these ratios are in no way intended to limit the scope of the present invention and the teachings of the present invention can be applied to other bypass ratios.

As shown in fig. 22, the use of helium in the low bypass system (0.208) does allow velocities comparable to the high bypass (0.489) region for certain mixtures, as shown by the velocities shown by the dashed and dotted lines in the 10Pa and 100Pa plots.

As can be seen in fig. 22, by comparing the power of two different bypass ratios, much information can be derived about the optimal operating conditions. First, the maximum speed achievable with low bypass (before the K limit) is severely reduced. Even at the lowest line pressures (1 and 10Pa), it can be seen that even with 100% helium, the achievable velocity is only half that of a velocity with a lower He percentage combined with a higher bypass ratio. Second, for smaller bypass ratios, these lower speed powers are each three times the power of a similar speed using a higher bypass ratio. Therefore, it is noted that optimizing the cabin-to-duct geometry (creating the largest possible bypass) results in faster speed and less power.

By adding a specific mixture of air and helium for any of the bypass ratios described above, greater system operating flexibility with respect to speed and power can be achieved. As shown in the upper graph between the vertical dashed arrows in the above graph, for lower bypass ratios (i.e., 0.208), the same velocity can be achieved as for higher bypass ratios (i.e., 0.489).

In the case of duct pressures of 10Pa and 100Pa, equal speed ranges for both bypass ratios are shown. At 100Pa, the resistance in the small bypass ratio regime increases nearly three-fold at the same speed, but only by the addition of 75-100% helium. For larger bypasses, the same speed can be achieved, but the resistance is one third. The addition of helium gas helps significantly (relative to clean air systems) for small bypass system scenarios, where such addition may be used for larger cabins, such as cargo types. This addition of helium allows for almost three times the speed, with only a slight increase in resistance compared to a pure air system. A smaller bypass system incurs a significant speed penalty because the maximum speed is limited to half that of a larger bypass system. The overwhelming advantages of large bypass systems cannot be overcome using lower pressures (e.g., as low as even 1 Pa).

The key to practical application of He-Air mixtures for high-speed pipeline travel is to narrow the appropriate mixture percentage based on economic models. The process will be outlined next and it will be explicitly pointed out why many higher percentages He are not optimal and those ranges are even not achievable.

While higher helium percentages (e.g., 99% or 100%) are preferred, it should be noted that such higher helium percentages are not possible in commercial piping configurations due to residual air leakage through welds, joints, feedthroughs, and material defects. The amount of air leakage does not vary with the pipe pressure because each leakage can be modeled like a hole. In this model, each orifice follows the standard gas law and blocks above about 0.53 Δ Ρ in pressure drop and is restricted to flow at sonic velocity. The blockage of each orifice maintained a constant flow until the line pressure was approximately 53,700 Pa. The duct pressure in the region of 1-1000Pa produces substantially equal air leakage. Thus, each of these holes will contribute a small amount of air to the vacuum vessels that must be continuously pumped out if the base pressure is to be maintained. This continuous leakage makes it impossible to achieve a 100% He content unless a perfectly leak-tight duct can be designed. However, practical implementation of such a pipeline-based transport system would be affected by these leaks, making reaching 100% helium a non-practical solution.

The extent of leakage expected to occur per kilometre of pipe can be noted, according to the experience of experts in the field and under the conditions seen in other large pipe vacuum systems. For this patent disclosure, the upper range limit of 50slm/km (standard liters per minute/km) is chosen as the worst case, and 5slm/km is chosen as the best case. FIG. 23 shows a table that plots volumetric loading at 50slm/km as a percentage of helium. FIG. 24 shows a table that plots volumetric loading at 5slm/km as a percentage of helium. Such leak rates are provided as examples only and should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Now, how this leak rate must be considered in calculating the preferred helium ratio and the desired operating pressure will be discussed.

This leakage rate is directly related to the method of construction and the material of the pipe, wherein the table in fig. 23 or 24 can be filled with more precise numbers knowing this method and material. The leak rate can be calculated using standard vacuum system practice and should be measured for each part of the route. Such estimated data associated with different portions of the route is critical to estimating the base line pressure and percentage of helium that can be reasonably achieved within each portion of the route.

As seen above in fig. 23 and 24, as the percentage of helium increases, the "increase volume" column increases geometrically at a constant leak rate. Very high helium percentages require increased helium injection volumes, which approach infinity when the helium demand reaches 100%. An increased volume of the air/helium mixture must be pumped out to maintain the desired vacuum level, thus possibly loading the pump beyond its capacity. Although it can be seen from the earlier discussion that a higher percentage of helium is always preferred, there is still an inverse trend of increasing the pumping load that must also be considered.

Fig. 25 depicts a plot of pumping power (in kW) versus percentage of helium for various pressures. As can be seen from fig. 25, the power (kW) of the vacuum pump is very sensitive to the volume flow rate, increasing geometrically when the He-Air percentage exceeds about 90%. These pumping power curves show a diminishing return in an attempt to maintain a high percentage of helium gas relative to pumping power (kW). This detrimental effect is most pronounced at low line pressures, which is contrary to the desire to operate at low pressures to reduce drag. Figure 25 shows the negative effect of high helium percentage on the pumping power necessary to maintain these percentages. More and not better. The present invention takes advantage of this effect to achieve optimal performance within a pipeline-based transportation system. In one embodiment, when this result is combined with the power required to overcome aerodynamic drag, the most economical operating percentage can be deduced.

There is a complex interaction between the pipe pressure, velocity, bypass ratio, Air leakage, He-Air%, resistance and pumping power, which has not been presented in the prior art in an organized manner so far. All these physical parameters limit the desired operating speed. These key tradeoffs have been analyzed in a number of typical situations and systems and methods for finding optimal operating conditions can now be proposed. The number of combinations is large, but by simulating and using physical properties while operating in typical or expected ones of these conditions, the most practical and economical use of the pipeline-based transportation system can be formulated.

A system and method for determining an optimal He-Air range based on power usage economics for both evacuating the duct and overcoming resistance at operating speed. Ideally, 100% He results in the lowest resistance and highest velocity due to reduced molecular size (increased velocity) and lower density (reduced resistance) for He. The following calculations indicate that not only 100% helium is not possible.

First, it is required to develop specific pump curves for a steel pipe having a length of 1km and a diameter of 4m at various basic pressures. These curves include air leakage of 50slm per kilometer of air. As previously mentioned, such leak rates are provided as examples only and should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. Since the basis for the optimization is power consumption, the curve shows the amount of pumping power required to maintain the pipe at a constant pressure based on a given leak rate (as shown in fig. 25). Different leak rates will change the graph, but the conclusions always indicate that at higher He ratios the pump must be run at higher and higher power to discharge increasing He-Air injection volumes. As the percentage of helium required in the tube increases, more and more He must be injected to maintain this ratio. The higher the percentage of helium, the more power is required by the pump.

Next, the power required to overcome the resistance at various speeds and percentages was examined. 26A-C show a summary of power demand (kW) to balance aerodynamic drag at pressures of 1000Pa, 100Pa, and 10Pa, respectively, for various cabin speeds versus helium and air percentages. As previously mentioned, the highest velocity can only be achieved using the highest percentage of helium. It can be seen here that at the highest helium percentage, the cabin/propulsion power (air resistance x speed) is significantly reduced. However, as shown in figure 25, those helium rich environments come at the expense of increased pumping power. These two interactions need to be combined to establish the minimum power and optimum operating point. Figure 27 depicts this combination by a plot of total power (in kW) at 100Pa for various speeds (in combination with pumping power and aerodynamic power at a given leakage rate) versus percentage of helium.

Before continuing, it may be helpful to discuss the impact of varying leak rates on the optimization systems and methods of the present invention. Leakage affects pump capacity in two critical areas. Leaks of orders of magnitude smaller allow pressures of orders of magnitude lower in the system to be reached. Therefore, reducing the leak rate is a very effective way to achieve a lower line pressure. Since the power can be reduced (theoretically) by an order of magnitude at the same pressure if the leakage rate is reduced by one tenth, the same relationship can be seen between the pumping power and the leakage rate. The present disclosure uses a non-limiting example air leak of 50slm/km, but specific air leak values should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. It should be noted, however, that the teachings of the present invention can be applied to another leak rate, e.g., 5slm/km, without departing from the scope of the present invention.

28A-C depict a non-limiting example in which the same analysis as FIGS. 25-27 is performed for a leak of 5 slm/km. FIG. 28A depicts a plot of pumping power (in kW) versus percentage of helium for various pressures for an air leak of 5 slm/km. FIG. 28B depicts a plot of cabin power (in kW) at 100 Pa. Since the cabin power does not depend on the leak rate, this is the same as the previously shown graph 26B. FIG. 28C depicts a plot of total power (in kW) combined pumping power and aerodynamic power versus percentage of helium for various velocities at 100Pa for an air leak of 5 slm/km. These calculations for a leak rate of 5slm/km validate the impact on the optimization model.

It should be noted that the graphs depicted in fig. 25-27 relate to a bypass ratio of 0.489, but for bypass ratios below 0.489, similar but less effects may be obtained. The method is based on separating the various inputs, looking at the effect of the helium mixture on these inputs, and then combining these inputs into a simple graph to show the desired operating conditions. The graph shown in fig. 27 summarizes the results presented in fig. 25-27 by combining the results presented in fig. 25-27 together to allow the optimal helium-air percentage to be found. These operations were done for a pressure of 100Pa and an expected speed of a bypass ratio of 0.489, including assuming a leak of 50 slm/km.

The graph in fig. 27 depicts the fairly flat power requirements at 600, 700 and 800km/h with up to 90% He mixture. Looking carefully at the graph in fig. 27 (and using the data after the graph for more accurate identification), it can be seen that 75% -85% helium in the pipeline appears to be acceptable. However, the operator does not want to operate with 75% He and 800km/h because the safety margin is small before the K limit is reached and impacts are generated in the bypass area.

Fig. 29 shows how the graphs depicted in fig. 25-27 can be combined to provide the optimum operating point for power (cost) and helium-air ratio. Fig. 29 shows the optimal helium operating point at 600kph based only on the minimum power demand cost per kilometer for the set of speeds for a pipeline pressure of 100 Pa. At this pressure and set of speeds, this may be considered the most economical (or economic mode). The same optimization can be done at 700kph requiring 80% helium and 20% air, with a power increase of nearly 50%, but a transport time reduction of 17% (based on increasing the speed from 600km/h to 700 km/h). Compared to 600kph (145kW vs 40kW), it was seen that a maximum operating speed close to 1,000kph required three times the power and 90% helium and 10% air mixture, but this resulted in a 67% reduction in transit time (based on increasing the speed from 600km/h to 1,000 km/h).

The 1,000-1,100km/h operating limit can be identified by witnessing a need for greatly increased power while also being very sensitive to small changes in the helium-air mixture. While these very high speeds can be achieved for such body conditions, bypass ratios and pressures, such high speeds may not be ideal. Practitioners prefer to reduce the line pressure or increase the bypass ratio if they want to operate safely and reliably in this area. It should be noted that fig. 29 is provided merely as an example of particular pressures, velocities, and bypass ratios, and that similar graphs may be created for other pressures, velocities, and particular geometries to derive optimal conditions for other operating points in a similar manner.

It can be seen that helium concentrations in the high range are desirable, but at a higher power cost. Also, in one embodiment, the present invention contemplates maintaining or producing the desired helium-to-air ratio from both a safety and benefit perspective. In the described example, power consumption has been used as a profitable simulation, however, there are a number of operating power points that can be selected according to the operator's motivation. For example, the minimum power does not occur at the maximum speed and therefore the trip time (trip time) is extended. Some operators (military, medical transport, etc.) may choose the "best" power to achieve maximum speed. The method according to the invention determines how much percentage of helium is needed to achieve such a maximum velocity. The other extreme is to operate at minimum power, which provides the longest cabin battery life and allows longer routes without trackside power. There is typically an intermediate power range, "sustainable" power, which allows some higher speed operation, but still allows the route length to be increased. Route calculation depends on length, curvature and altitude variations within the route and the source of propulsion power. Different operating incentives will determine how much percentage of helium is desirable based on the route and whether it is operating under "best", "minimum", or "sustainable" conditions.

To optimize for this embodiment, not only the percentage of helium, but also the distribution in the helium pipeline and the method of controlling such distribution need to be concerned. Similar optimizations can be made for bypass ratios of 1-1000Pa and from large to small using the examples shown previously. The power requirements for all combinations of pressure, bypass ratio, leakage, air-helium percentage, and velocity may be calculated based on the teachings of the present invention. In one embodiment, the process is fully automated by software to quickly determine the optimal speed and helium-to-air ratio. Compared to the following efforts: the process of adding helium to the duct is undoubtedly a very cost-effective and simple way of improving the performance of duct-based transportation systems, either by increasing the size of the compartment or duct (which affects the bypass ratio), by increasing the number and size of vacuum pumps (to reduce the pressure), by adding a compressor in front of the compartment (to increase the bypass ratio), or by modifying the duct construction method (to reduce air leakage). Optimization using helium improves capital and operating economics. Using these new techniques, automatic identification and operation at these optimal points can be automatically achieved during daily operations, even with varying helium percentages based on changing operations (passengers versus cargo).

It can be seen that the percentage of helium is the primary determinant for maximum speed and minimum power, along with the bypass ratio, air leakage, and duct pressure. Therefore, the distribution and percentage of light gas within the length of the pipe is an important consideration in maintaining these advantages. The ability to maintain helium percentage and uniformity within the tube is important to achieving these advantages. However, it is also seen that higher percentages of light gas are sometimes needed or desired. Different parts of the route may be speed limited due to curvature, stops, altitude variations, etc., while other parts of the route will allow maximum speed. A homogeneous mixture must be achieved, but there are many situations where the most economically available helium enriched mixture is preferred, such as the highway section of the route. Methods for achieving a uniform and helium enriched atmosphere are described below.

A description of a technique capable of maintaining a homogeneous or light-weight enriched gas mixture in a pipeline is provided.

First, consider some standard components of a transportation system:

1. vehicle for carrying passengers or cargo

2. Guiding and closing the conduits of a vehicle

3. Pump for maintaining low pressure in a pipeline and compensating for air leakage (from atmosphere to pipeline)

The present invention proposes additional means for creating and maintaining a homogeneous gas mixture and additionally provides how to improve some pipe areas resulting in a locally increased percentage of light gas.

The following lists the components required to implement the system:

1. air supply (except air)

a. One or more air boxes integrated on the side of the duct, distributed along the length of the duct, the position of which can be determined by the cabin speed at the location of the duct,

b. a series of tubes connected from a gas source to the sides of the duct, wherein the gas distribution location along the length of the duct at the injection point is determined by the cabin velocity at that duct location,

c. one or more air boxes located in each vehicle or some vehicles at known critical geometric locations on the cabin that are most susceptible to impact or interference from high velocity flow around the cabin. These locations are particularly near the nose so that the light gas concentration can increase as the flow begins to move over the chamber body, at a point along the chamber body where the flow approaches the critical K limit, near the tail to reduce the shock wave and instabilities created therein, and finally at the tail to increase the gas concentration in preparation for any subsequent chamber.

2. A system for injecting a light gas, the system comprised of a valve, a regulator, a mass flow controller, an electronic controller, and an injector nozzle located at any of a plurality of positions within a hyper-circuit system. The system is under the control of an operating control center that continuously monitors the gas concentration in the pipeline and provides commands to the injection system at appropriate injection quantities to maintain the optimum gas ratio.

3. A system for recovering a gas. A system integrated in the pumping system that separates the light gas from the air/gas mixture so that the light gas is not vented to the atmosphere, but is recycled back into the pipeline. The system consists of an air separation unit or membrane gas separation unit that extracts vacuum pump exhaust from the pipeline and separates out light gases for recycle to a gas injection system or storage system for future reuse when gas ratios are preferred to be unbalanced.

4. A system for monitoring gas pressure and gas concentration includes a gas sensor, data feedback and recording functionality, and a data control system.

a. A pressure transducer and a gas concentration transducer network along a pipeline foundation and/or integrated in the vehicle.

b. The output of these transducers is sent to the OCC unit, which compares the measured concentration to the desired concentration using a software algorithm and responds with a control output to the gas injection system.

c. The gas control system also has an optimization routine to provide closed loop control of the desired gas concentration and uniformity based on the sensor output.

d. Off-the-shelf gas type sensors may be used, where these sensors may be located on the chamber, at points along the pipeline, or on the vacuum tubes of the pump station. The outputs of these sensors will be directed to an Operation Control Center (OCC) to track deviations from ideal, changes to be performed by the gas injection equipment, and the results of these changes.

It should be noted that a practical embodiment may be as modular as possible to incorporate a plurality of the aforementioned components.

Methods for placing a preferred gas into a pipeline are areas to be optimized. Various methods are envisaged for filling the pipeline with these gases. Separate and/or combined methods, such as spraying through the wall of the conduit, spraying from the chamber, from valves placed on the conduit or conduit attachment, from the chamber or potentially from the vacuum pumping system are all possible methods.

Injecting small diameter gas through various critical points in the chamber has some potentially significant advantages to enrich the helium content in the local region around the chamber, thereby reducing shock waves, turbulence, and possible chamber instability due to these factors. It is also speculated that a cabin in the duct behind the lead cabin may benefit significantly from these same factors. This optimized cabin enclosure spraying method is another advantage of the present invention.

One important challenge is to compensate for air leaks from the atmosphere. Air leakage both increases the line pressure and changes the gas concentration (increases the air concentration). At these vacuum levels, conventional air leakage rates for welded steel pipes have been identified. As mentioned earlier, an expert in the subject, Leybold Vacuum, has an estimate of 45 standard liters per minute for air leakage based on a 1km length of 4m diameter pipe. Therefore, it is impractical to use accepted manufacturing methods and materials to achieve a 100% helium filled tube. Comparing the leak rate of 45slm/km (.05512kg/km) to the volume of helium in the pipeline provides a qualitative answer to the level of purity that can be obtained.

Fortunately, since the pressure in the conduit is low compared to atmospheric air, there is no gas leak escaping from the conduit to the atmosphere. The only way gas leaves the tubing is due to the pumping system pumping the tubing fluid to reduce the tubing pressure. At the same time, the pumping system removes gas from the pipe.

The entire system must be carefully designed so that the gas can be recovered and injected into the pipeline there as required. For example, the gas separator may be coupled to a pumping system. The gas will separate the air and re-inject the recovered gas. With respect to the previous helium example, there is an air/helium separator on the market despite the limitations of practical application today.

A novel method of capturing vacuum pump exhaust and separating smaller diameter gases by a typical air separation unit or other type of separation method may be used to recycle the gases back into the pipeline and is also contemplated as part of the present invention.

In addition, there are certain preferred methods of introducing gas into the conduit, such as emptying the conduit and partially refilling the conduit with the preferred gas. The pump may be repeated multiple times and backfilled until the percentage of the preferred gas or gas mixture reaches an appropriate level. Such a method is also envisaged as part of the present invention.

Mixture uniformity is another challenge. Uniformity can be ensured by uniformly spaced air reservoirs or boxes. The motion of the carrier may also ensure uniformity, possibly creating vortices and/or turbulence in its wake that mix the gases.

Finally, the diffusion coefficient is a good indicator of the ability to mix gas into air. The diffusion coefficient of a gas in air refers to the ability of a gas to achieve homogenization in still air without the need for agitation or turbulence. FIG. 30 depicts a graph of diffusion coefficients of various gases in air (source: Engineering Toolbox website). Fig. 30 shows that light gases such as helium and hydrogen have a much higher diffusion coefficient in air than other gases. At ambient temperature, helium has a diffusion coefficient almost four times that of methane or water vapor, while hydrogen is slightly better. This makes helium and hydrogen the best choices for obtaining and maintaining a homogeneous mixture within the tube.

Described below are two possible implementations of the duct with helium/air mixture. FIG. 31 depicts a first embodiment comprising a set of helium tanks uniformly assembled along the length of the tube, wherein helium gas is injected using controlled valves that open or close to maintain the desired helium gas level. The pumping system is connected to a separator system that removes air and re-sprays the helium gas into the tank. For a system without losses, helium leaving the pipeline due to the pump will be constantly refilled into the tank.

Fig. 32 depicts a second embodiment that includes a helium tank embedded in the carrier. The tank is commanded to open helium release. Helium can be released in the carrier wake, achieving good mixing with the vortex. The helium tank may be filled while the vehicle is parked. Helium is collected by a separate system integrated in the pumping system.

Since the method of the invention is modular, the first and second embodiments can be combined together to obtain a third embodiment with a helium tank along both the pipeline and in the carrier. FIG. 33 depicts a method that combines the methods of FIG. 31 and FIG. 32.

The embodiment depicted in fig. 31 involves injecting a gas or mixture provided by a gas line or compressed gas cylinder directly into the conduit through a port connected to a mass flow controller and valve to precisely control the amount of each gas introduced. The amount will depend on the analysis of the gas in the pipeline and is controlled by an Operation Control Centre (OCC). The spacing of these injection points needs to be engineered. It is possible that injecting He into the duct just in front of the moving cabin will contribute to the aerodynamics of the cabin. Injecting He so that its percentage is very high as the chamber approaches the injection point can help reduce shock waves and reduce drag.

The embodiment depicted in fig. 32, i.e., chamber body injection, in one embodiment uses a compressed gas bottle located inside the chamber to inject the gas or gas mixture at the front, along the body, behind, or at a combination of points along the chamber. This design will more accurately inject the gas into the area most susceptible to drag and impact around the cabin.

The embodiment depicted in fig. 33 combines the teachings of the embodiments depicted in fig. 30 and 31.

Fig. 34 depicts an embodiment of the method of the present invention for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a pipeline transport system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo items via a cabin, wherein the pipe is disposed along a predetermined route. According to this embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: (a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated-step 3402; and (b) identifying a predetermined power value-step 3404; (c) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and the leak rate associated with the pipeline-step 3406; (d) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air-step 3408.

Fig. 35 depicts another embodiment of the method of the present invention for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo items via a cabin, wherein the conduit is disposed along a predetermined route. According to this embodiment, the method comprises the steps of: (a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated-step 3502; (b) identifying a predetermined power value-step 3504; (c) identifying a desired cabin speed-step 3506; (d) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and the desired cabin speed identified in (c) and the leak rate associated with each pipeline-step 3508; (e) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air-step 3510.

Fig. 36 depicts yet another embodiment of the method of the present invention for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit being disposed along a predetermined route, wherein the method comprises: (a) pumping the tubing to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the tubing is substantially evacuated-step 3602; (b) for each of the plurality of bypass ratios and the plurality of leak rates, storing in memory data representing a first total power range, a second percentage helium range, and a third pipeline pressure range, each total power in the total power range representing a power value that is a function of a first power to pump each pipeline to a substantially empty state and a second power to overcome aerodynamic drag in each pipeline-step 3604; (c) identify a predetermined power value-step 3606; (d) identify a desired cabin speed-step 3608; (e) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the data stored in (b) corresponding to the predetermined power value identified in (c), the desired cabin speed identified in (d) and the leak rate associated with each duct-step 3610; (f) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air-step 3612.

The systems and processes of the drawings are not intended to be exhaustive. Other systems, procedures and menus may be derived in accordance with the principles of the present invention to achieve the same objectives. Although the present invention has been described with reference to particular embodiments, it is to be understood that the embodiments and variations shown and described herein are for illustration purposes only. Modifications to the current design may occur to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention. As described herein, the various systems and processes may be implemented using hardware components, software components, and/or combinations thereof.

For example, the feature of maintaining a particular percentage of helium and air within each conduit (of the plurality of substantially evacuated conduits) may be implemented in a software process, wherein a processor (or controller) executes instructions to control a mechanism, such as a valve, to release a particular percentage of helium or to release a particular percentage of helium and air. Also, as another example, the feature of selecting a percentage of helium based on the predetermined power value and the leak rate associated with each pipe may be implemented in a software process, wherein a processor (or controller) executes instructions stored in a memory to identify such a percentage of helium. As another example, the feature of selecting a percentage of helium based on a predetermined power value that is a function of both pumping power and power to overcome resistance and leakage rate associated with each conduit may be implemented in a software process, wherein a processor (or controller) executes instructions stored in a memory to identify such a percentage of helium. As yet another example, the feature of selecting a percentage of helium based on the predetermined power value, the desired cabin speed, and the leak rate associated with each duct may be implemented in a software process, wherein a processor (or controller) executes instructions stored in a memory to identify such a percentage of helium. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many of the other features described above can be implemented using hardware, software, or a combination of both.

The above-described features and applications may be implemented as a software process specified as a set of instructions recorded on a computer-readable storage medium (also referred to as computer-readable medium). When executed by one or more processing units (e.g., one or more processors, processor cores, or other processing units), the instructions cause the one or more processing units to perform the actions indicated in the instructions. Embodiments within the scope of the present disclosure may also include tangible and/or non-transitory computer-readable storage media for carrying or having computer-executable instructions or data structures stored thereon. Such non-transitory computer-readable storage media can be any available media that can be accessed by a general purpose or special purpose computer, including the functional design of any special purpose processor. By way of example, and not limitation, such non-transitory computer-readable media can comprise flash memory, RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM or other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium which can be used to carry or store desired program code means in the form of computer-executable instructions, data structures, or processor chip design. The computer readable medium does not include carrier waves and electronic signals that are communicated wirelessly or through a wired connection.

Computer-executable instructions comprise, for example, instructions and data which cause a general purpose computer, special purpose computer, or special purpose processing device to perform a certain function or group of functions. Computer-executable instructions also include program modules that are executed by computers in stand-alone or network environments. Generally, program modules include routines, programs, components, data structures, objects, and special purpose processors that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. Computer-executable instructions, associated data structures, and program modules represent examples of the program code means for executing steps of the methods disclosed herein. The particular sequence of such executable instructions or associated data structures represents examples of corresponding acts for implementing the functions described in such steps.

Processors suitable for the execution of a computer program include, by way of example, both general and special purpose microprocessors, and any one or more processors of any kind of digital computer. Generally, a processor will receive instructions and data from a read-only memory or a random access memory or both. The essential elements of a computer are a processor for implementing or executing instructions and one or more memory devices for storing instructions and data. Generally, a computer will also include, or be operatively coupled to receive data from or transfer data to, or both, one or more mass storage devices for storing data, e.g., magnetic, magneto-optical disks, or optical disks. However, a computer need not have such a device. Further, the computer may be embedded in another device, e.g., a controller, programmable logic controller, to name a few.

In this specification, the term "software" is intended to include firmware residing in read-only memory or applications stored in magnetic or flash memory, such as solid state drives, which may be read into memory for processing by a processor. Also, in some embodiments, multiple software techniques may be implemented as sub-parts of a larger program, while preserving unique software techniques. In some embodiments, the various software techniques may also be implemented as separate programs. Finally, any combination of separate programs that together implement the software techniques described herein is within the scope of the present techniques. In some embodiments, the software program, when installed to run on one or more electronic systems, defines one or more specific machine embodiments that implement and perform the operations of the software program.

A computer program (also known as a program, software application, script, or code) can be written in any form of programming language, including compiled or interpreted languages, declarative or procedural languages, and it can be deployed in any form, including as a stand-alone program or as a module, component, subroutine, object, or other unit suitable for use in a computing environment. A computer program may, but need not, correspond to a file in a file system. A program can be stored in a portion of a file that holds other programs or data (e.g., one or more scripts stored in a markup language document), in a single file dedicated to the program in question, or in multiple coordinated files (e.g., files that store one or more modules, sub programs, or portions of code). A computer program can be deployed to be executed on one computer or on multiple computers that are located at one site or distributed across multiple sites and interconnected by a communication network.

These functions described above may be implemented in digital electronic circuitry, computer software, firmware, or hardware. The techniques may be implemented using one or more computer program products. The programmable processor and computer may be included in or packaged as a mobile device. The processes and logic flows can be performed by one or more programmable processors and by one or more programmable logic circuits. General purpose and special purpose computing devices and storage seeds may be interconnected by a communication network.

Some embodiments include an electronic component, such as a microprocessor, storage and memory storing computer program instructions in a machine-readable or computer-readable medium (alternatively referred to as a computer-readable storage medium, machine-readable medium, or machine-readable storage medium). Some examples of such computer-readable media include RAM, ROM, read-only compact disks (CD-ROM), recordable compact disks (CD-R), rewritable compact disks (CD-RW), read-only digital versatile disks (e.g., DVD-ROM, dual-layer DVD-ROM), various recordable/rewritable DVDs (e.g., DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD + RW, etc.), flash memory (e.g., SD card, mini-SD card, micro-SD card, etc.), magnetic or solid-state hard drives, read-only and recordable hard drives

Disks, ultra-high density optical disks, any other optical or magnetic medium, and floppy disks. The computer-readable medium may store a computer program that is executable by at least one processing unit and includes a set of instructions for performing various operations. Examples of computer programs or computer code include machine code, such as produced by a compiler, and files containing higher level code that are executed by a computer, an electronic component, or a microprocessor using an interpreter.

Although the above discussion refers primarily to microprocessor or multi-core processors executing software, certain embodiments are performed by one or more integrated circuits, such as an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) or Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). In some embodiments, such integrated circuits execute instructions stored on the circuit itself.

Further, it should be understood that any particular order or hierarchy of steps in the processes disclosed is an illustration of example approaches. Based upon design preferences, it is understood that the specific order or hierarchy of steps in the processes may be rearranged or that all illustrated steps may be performed. Some steps may be performed simultaneously.

The various embodiments described above are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the scope of the disclosure. Those skilled in the art will readily recognize various modifications and changes that may be made to the principles described herein without following the example embodiments and applications illustrated and described herein and without departing from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

While this specification contains many specific implementation details, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of any inventions or of what may be claimed, but rather as descriptions of features specific to particular embodiments of particular inventions. Certain features that are described in this specification in the context of separate embodiments can also be implemented in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features that are described in the context of a single embodiment can also be implemented in multiple embodiments separately or in any suitable subcombination. Moreover, although features may be described above as acting in certain combinations and even initially claimed as such, one or more features from a claimed combination can in some cases be excised from the combination, and the claimed combination may be directed to a subcombination or variation of a subcombination.

Conclusion

Systems and methods for efficiently implementing a ducted delivery system for a gas mixture of air and helium have been shown in the above embodiments. While various preferred embodiments have been shown and described, it will be understood that there is no intent to limit the invention by such disclosure, but rather, is intended to cover all modifications and alternate constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims.

Claims (30)

1. A method for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit disposed along at least one predetermined route, the method comprising:

(a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated;

(b) identifying a predetermined power value;

(c) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and a leak rate associated with the pipeline; and

(e) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined power value is any of: sustainable power, minimum power, or acceptable power.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of selecting the predetermined power value as a function of a first power to pump each conduit to a substantially empty state and a second power to overcome aerodynamic drag in each conduit.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure is selected from the following ranges: 1Pa to 100 Pa.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein x is 50% to 99%.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ejecting helium gas or a combination of helium gas and air in the gas composition through a wall associated with at least one conduit.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of injecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through the chamber into at least one conduit.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of ejecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through a wall associated with at least one conduit and ejecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through the chamber into the at least one conduit.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of using a recirculation mechanism for capturing the gas composition in each conduit and recirculating at least some of those gases back into the same conduit.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of concentrating the gas using at least one separation unit that is part of the recirculation mechanism prior to recirculating the gas back into the conduit.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of maintaining a desired gas concentration via a pump down and backfill mechanism.

12. A method for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit disposed along at least one predetermined route, the method comprising:

(a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated;

(b) identifying a predetermined power value;

(c) identifying a desired cabin speed;

(d) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on the predetermined power value identified in (b) and the desired cabin speed identified in (c) and a leak rate associated with each conduit;

(e) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the predetermined power value is any of: sustainable power, minimum power, or acceptable power.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of selecting the predetermined power value as a function of a first power to pump each conduit to a substantially empty state and a second power to overcome aerodynamic drag in each conduit.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the pressure is selected from the following ranges: 1Pa to 100 Pa.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein 50% ≦ x ≦ 99%.

17. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of ejecting helium gas or a combination of helium gas and air in the gas composition through a wall associated with at least one conduit.

18. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of injecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through the chamber into at least one conduit.

19. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of ejecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through a wall associated with at least one conduit and ejecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through the chamber into the at least one conduit.

20. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of capturing the gas composition in each conduit using a recirculation mechanism and recirculating at least some of those gases back into the same conduit.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of concentrating the gas using at least one separation unit that is part of the recirculation mechanism prior to recirculating the gas back into the conduit.

22. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of maintaining a desired gas concentration via a pump down and backfill mechanism.

23. A method for maintaining a gas composition within a conduit that is part of a conduit transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargo via a cabin, the conduit disposed along at least one predetermined route, the method comprising:

(a) pumping the conduit to a pressure below atmospheric pressure until the conduit is substantially evacuated;

(b) for each of a plurality of bypass ratios and a plurality of leak rates, storing in memory data representing a first total power range, a second percentage helium range, and a third pipeline pressure range, each total power in the total power range representing a power value that is a function of a first power to pump each pipeline to a substantially empty state and a second power to overcome aerodynamic drag in each pipeline;

(c) identifying a predetermined power value;

(d) identifying a desired cabin speed;

(e) identifying a first percentage x of helium based on data stored in (b) corresponding to the predetermined power value identified in (c), the desired cabin speed identified in (d), and a leak rate associated with each pipeline; and

(f) a gas composition is maintained within each of the plurality of substantially evacuated tubes, the gas composition comprising a mixture of a first percentage x of helium gas and a second percentage (100-x) of air.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the predetermined power value is any of: sustainable power, minimum power, or acceptable power.

25. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of selecting the predetermined power value as a function of a first power to pump each conduit to a substantially empty state and a second power to overcome aerodynamic drag in each conduit.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the pressure is selected from the following ranges: 1Pa to 100 Pa.

27. The method of claim 23, wherein x is 50% to 99%.

28. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of ejecting helium gas or a combination of helium gas and air in the gas composition through a wall associated with at least one conduit.

29. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of injecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through the chamber into at least one conduit.

30. The method of claim 23, further comprising the step of ejecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through a wall associated with at least one conduit and ejecting helium or a combination of helium and air in the gas composition through the chamber into the at least one conduit.

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