Supporting The Advancement of Hyperloop Technology

Bunting is sponsoring the HYPED Hyperloop team from the University of Edinburgh.  The team is dedicated to accelerating the development of Hyperloop and implementing technology in the UK.  They will also be competing in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition in the Summer of 2019.

What Is A Hyperloop?

A Hyperloop is a conceptually revolutionary mode of transportation.  The Hyperloop is a near-vacuum-sealed tube or system of tubes through which a pod may travel free of air resistance or friction.  It is exceptionally energy-efficient and can allow the pod to travel at very high speeds.

In 2012, entrepreneur and engineer Elon Musk introduced his version of the concept.  The Hyperloop Alpha concept was published in August 2013, with proposals for a route between the Los Angeles region to the San Francisco Bay Area.  Many transport experts remain sceptical, citing build costs as a significant limiting factor and even claiming that the idea is “completely impractical”.  However, this has not stopped Elon Musk’s SpaceX from further developing the concept.

To speed up the development of the Hyperloop concept, SpaceX launched the Hyperloop Pod Competition in 2015.  The competition’s goal is to support the development of functional prototypes and encourage innovation by challenging student teams to design and build the best high-speed Pod.

The HYPED Hyperloop Team

The HYPED team at the University of Edinburgh was founded in 2015 and has grown to over 200 registered student team members in 2019. The members’ wide range of skills and experience allows HYPED to excel in developing the Hyperloop.  Since 2015, the HYPED team has achieved several key milestones including:

• January 2016 – SpaceX Subsystem Technical Excellence award;
• August 2017 – One of 24 Finalists at SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition II;
• September 2017 – Hyperloop One Global Challenge winner;
• July 2018 – One of Top 6 Teams at SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition III Finals;
• July 2019 – Finalists at SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition IV;

In 2019, HYPED will build its 3rd Pod.  The focus will be on a more integrated, feasible, and scale-able design, with a greater top speed.  Additionally, the team aims to build a test rail to fully integrate and test the design before shipment and launch.

The Magnet Component

As with many new environmental initiatives (e.g. wind turbines and electric vehicles), high-powered Rare Earth Magnets play an important role in the Hyperloop pod design.

• The Future is Magnetic;
• Electric Vehicles drive up Rare Earth Magnet Prices;

A Halbach Module is used to produce contactless propulsion.  A Halbach array is a specific arrangement of a series of permanent magnets. The array has a spatially rotating pattern of magnetism which cancels the field on one side but boosts it on the other. The major advantages of Halbach arrays are that they can produce strong magnetic fields on one side whilst creating a tiny stray field on the opposite side. This effect is best understood by observing the magnetic flux distribution.

A permanent magnetic assembly with high-powered Neodymium Rare Earth Magnets is used as levitation skies and emergency brakes.

“The Hyperloop concept has the potential of revolutionising transportation,” explained Matthew Swallow, one of Bunting’s Magnet Design Engineers.  “Magnets and magnetic principles are an important part of the Pod design.  Subsequently, we wanted to show our support by sponsoring the HYPED team.”

Bunting design and manufacture a wide range of magnets magnetic assemblies.  Many are bespoke for specific applications.  For further information on bespoke magnet assemblies or magnet designs, please contact us via:

Phone:  +44 (0) 1442 875081

Email:  sales.berkhamsted@buntingmagnetics.com

Via the Bunting Europe website for specialist magnets and magnetic assemblies

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