TUBE SECTION FOR EVACUATED TUBE TRANSPORT SYSTEM

Abstract

A tube section for constructing a tube suitable for underpressure applications with an incircle having a diameter of at least 2 m and to an evacuated tube transport system tube produced therefrom.

Claims

1. A tube section, having a length L, for constructing a tube suitable for underpressure applications, with an incircle having a diameter of at least 2 m, wherein the tube section comprises a plurality of longitudinal stringers, a plurality of circumferential sections and a plurality of thin-walled skin sections having a radius of curvature R and wherein the curvature extends along the entire length of the thin-walled skin sections, wherein the longitudinal stringers are connected to the inner surface of the circumferential sections, wherein the plurality of longitudinal stringers are mounted to the circumferential sections substantially equidistantly to form a skeletal framework for attaching the thin-walled skin sections; wherein the long edges of the thin-walled skin sections are mounted fixedly and air-tightly to the longitudinal stringers, and wherein, in use, the thin walled sections between the stringers are loaded in tension.

2. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein the centre point M of the radius of curvature R of the curved thin-walled skin sections lies outside the tube section.

3. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein i) one, more or all of the longitudinal stringers are hollow, and/or wherein ii) one, more or all of the circumferential sections are hollow.

4. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein the curved thin-walled skin sections are provided with additional strengthening elements parallel to the short edges of the section.

5. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein the distance between the circumferential sections is smaller towards the middle of the tube section at ½ L than at both extremities of the tube section.

6. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential sections have a curved shape.

7. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one, more or all of the circumferential sections are polygons with at least 8 sides.

8. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one, more or all of the longitudinal stringers is a rectangular tube.

9. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one, more or all of the circumferential sections is a rectangular tube.

10. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one, more or all of the longitudinal stringers or the circumferential sections is produced from hot-rolled steel strip.

11. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein the number of longitudinal stringers along the circumferential sections is a prime number.

12. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one or more, but less than one third, of the thin-walled skin sections is a flat skin section.

13. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein solar panels are provided on top of the tube section and fixed to one or more of the longitudinal stringers and/or to one or more of the circumferential sections.

14. An evacuated tube transport system tube comprising a plurality of tube sections according to claim 1, wherein the pressure outside the tube is the atmospheric pressure and wherein the pressure inside the tube is less than 0.1 bar.

15. The tube according to claim 14, wherein two or more adjacent tube sections are connected by means of an expansion joint.

16. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein the circumferential sections have a a circular, oval or elliptic shape.

17. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one or more, but less than one third, of the thin-walled skin sections is a floor panel.

18. The tube section according to claim 1, wherein one or more, but less than one third, of the thin-walled skin sections is an installation panel for peripherals.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0011] One or more of these objects is reached with a tube section according to claim 1. Preferable embodiments are provided in the dependent claims.

[0012] In the context of this invention “suitable for underpressure applications” means that the tube section, when used in an evacuated tube transport system tube comprising a plurality of tube sections according to the invention, is subjected to a pressure outside the tube or tube section of the atmospheric pressure and wherein the pressure inside the tube or tube section is less than 0.1 bar, preferably less than 0.01 bar (10 mbar), even more preferably less than 5 mbar, even less than 2 mbar or even about 1 mbar (≈100 Pa). Superfluously it is noted that during construction of the tube section it is not in an underpressure situation.

[0013] The invention allows individual tube sections to be made before assembling into a complete tube. The complete tube offers a hot rolled strip steel and tubular section solution. It is a concept which can produce large diameter tubes (from the smallest Hyperloop Alpha tube size 2.23 m internal diameter equivalent and larger). This design uses less material than the equivalent single gauge walled tube whilst achieving the same buckling performance under an external pressure with acceptable vertical stiffness between supporting pylons.

[0014] A tube for an EU-system needs to maintain a near vacuum internally and a stable straight support structure. The two key functional requirements this drives are resistance to buckling and vertical stiffness (i.e. resistance to sagging). The tube, being under and external pressure, could be prone to buckling which can exhibit in 2 ways. Firstly, there could be a global buckling failure, where the whole tube section collapses, typically with shapes made up with half sine waves the length of the tube and with maximum displacement at the mid span of the tube. The second potential buckling failure mode is a local mode where small sections of the tube fail. The design of the tube addresses the vertical stiffness, global and local modes allowing for tuning each while generating a lightweight design.

[0015] The design consists of a conceptual skeletal frame and a skin made out of skin sections. The skeletal frame consists of longitudinal sections described here as stringers and circumferential sections described here as ribs or rings. Both the rings and stringers can be made from standard square or rectangular hollow tubes or sections. These types of tubes are generally referred to as rectangular hollow sections (RHS). There may be some advantage to using unique sections for the stringers, for instance to locate the skin or helping with weld preparation, but it will be more cost effective to use standard tubes, such as Tata Steel's Celsius® range. The skins are straight along the length of the skin section, and have an essentially constant arc over the width of the skin section which, when attached to the stringer in the tube section, has the middle of the arc pointing in towards the centre point of the tube. This means that under an external pressure the skin sections are nominally put into tension, not compression. The term “in use” in the context of this invention therefore implies a pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the tube section, where the atmospheric pressure on the outside is (much) higher than the pressure in the tube section. FIG. 12 shows this schematically.

[0016] More than half of the tube weight is associated with the skin and the skin gauge has a big influence on buckling performance. By designing the tube such that the skin is predominantly in tension it is less prone to buckling; a phenomenon associated with compressive loading. Increasing the concavity reduces the skins contribution to the vertical stiffness. Increasing the stringer section increases stiffness and mass. The location of the rings can be biased towards the mid span to have a larger effect on the global modes. An embodiment of the design has straight sections or ribs between the stringers, so that the ring is an n-sided polygonal as depicted in FIG. 10 for an 11-sided polygonal. However, this is not as effective as a curved circumferential ring because the distance from the tube axis to the middle of the ribs is shorter (see FIG. 10), providing less resistance to global buckling. It is therefore preferable that the circumferential rings have a curved shape, such as a circular, oval or elliptic shape.

[0017] The length of a tube section is not fixed. Typically, the length is between 10 and 50 m. The Hyperloop concept study assumes length of 30 m to be feasible. Such a length can be transported through air, train or on a lorry. For ETT applications the diameter of the incircle in the tube section is preferably at least 3 m. A suitable upper boundary for this diameter is 5 m, although this is not a limitation per se. If the tube section is strong and stiff enough, diameters of larger than 5 m are conceivable without deviating from the gist of the invention as claimed. Also, the tube is not necessarily circular in cross sections. The tube may also be oval, or any other suitable shape.

[0018] Due to the volumes involved with a tube for an EU-system, it is intended to make the tube from hollow tubes and hot rolled strip. By limiting the design to strip up to 1600 mm wide, the material could be sourced from most mills. This will influence the maximum span of the skin sections. Adding more sections adds extra stringers which may help with vertical stiffness but adds assembly weld length which adds additional costs.

[0019] For manufacture and assembly, it is envisaged that the skeletal frame will be assembled first and the skin then welded to it.

[0020] The circumferential sections could be made as an extra process at the end of the hot rolled tube line. During the rectangular hollow section (RHS) manufacture, an extra station added at the end would bend the tube into a very shallow spiral at the correct diameter. This spiral would then be cut at 1 complete revolution. This single turn spiral then just needs a little lateral manipulation to make a complete, circular ring. By this method, the ring would have minimal built in stress from being turned into a ring. The skin could be roll formed and/or made on a transfer press. Long straight uninterrupted welds on the skin may allow easy facilitation of robotic welding.

[0021] The thin-walled skin-sections, together with the longitudinal stringers to which the skin-sections are attached, preferably by welding, along their long edges, form the airtight skin and, with the assistance of the longitudinal stringers, resist the external pressure. The fact that the thin walled skin-sections are provided with a curve means that the skin sections are loaded in tension when the pressure in the tube is lower than outside. This thin wall structure in combination with the ribs act to resist the global buckling modes. As the skin sections protrude inwardly because of their curvature, the diameter of the incircle in the tube section is smaller than the incircle of the skeletal frame formed by the longitudinal stringers and the circumferential sections.

[0022] A large weight reduction is achieved by the tube section according to the invention. Compared to the flat spiral welded strip the same buckling strength can be obtained with the tube section according to the invention wherein the tube section according to the invention would be 3 times as light as the equivalent tube section from flat spiral welded strip.

[0023] The tube section according to the invention comprises an airtight tube with an incircle of at least 2 m diameter. It is a concept which can produce small and large diameter tubes (from the smallest Hyperloop Alpha tube size 2.23 m internal diameter equivalent and larger). This design uses less material than the equivalent single gauge walled tube whilst achieving the same external pressure buckling performance with acceptable vertical stiffness between supporting pylons and has other benefits. Preferably the diameter of the incircle of the tube section, and thus the tube produced from combining the tube sections, is at least 2 m, more preferably at least 3 m, even more preferably at least 4 m. A suitable upper boundary for this diameter is 5 m, although this is not a limitation per se. If the tube section is strong and stiff enough, diameters of larger than 5 m are conceivable without deviating from the gist of the invention as claimed.

[0024] The tube section is preferably manufactured as a single wall configuration. The thin walled skin sections provide the airtightness to maintain the very low pressures inside the tube. The tube section is constructed based on a skeletal framework formed by circumferential sections and longitudinal stringers. The circumferential sections form the hoops and the longitudinal stringers form the staves. The space between the stringers is closed with the thin walled skin sections. To improve the buckling resistance and to allow to keep the skin sections as thin as possible the skin sections are provided with a curvature with a radius of curvature of R. The curvature extends along the entire length of the thin-walled skin sections. This radius can be easily produced e.g. by roll forming, and this can be done on site. Preferably all tube sections are straight in the longitudinal direction, so that the stringers and the curved thin-walled skin sections are straight as well along the length. Curves in the tube can be accommodated by angling straight tube sections of tube together because the curvature is very small. The track can be curved within the tube itself. For a larger curvature, e.g. if absolutely required, reduced lengths of the straight tube sections can be used to achieve greater curvature.

[0025] The longitudinal stringers are connected to the inner surface of the circumferential sections. The stringers are mounted to the circumferential sections substantially equidistantly so as to form a skeletal framework for attaching the thin-walled skin section to. The long edges of the curved thin-walled skin sections are mounted fixedly and air-tightly to the longitudinal stringers, preferably to the inner surface of the longitudinal stringers. The centre point (M) of the radius of curvature (R) of the curved thin-walled skin sections (5) lies outside the tube section.

[0026] The tube section thus produced has enough rigidity to be handled by cranes or the like and be mounted on pylons or other supporting structures. The skeletal framework provides this rigidity. The thin-walled skin sections provide the airtightness.

[0027] In an embodiment one, more or all of the longitudinal stringers are hollow tubes. These can be round tubes, oval tubes or polygonal tubes. However, it is a preferable embodiment that the longitudinal stringers are rectangular or square tubes, such as the Tata Steels Celsius®-range, as these have flat edges which makes them more suitable to connect to the longitudinal stringers and the thin-walled skin sections. These rectangular tubes also provide some additional stiffness.

[0028] In an embodiment one, more or all one, more or all of the circumferential sections (4) are hollow rectangular tubes. These tubes have adequate rigidity and have a higher resistance to buckling. Preferably the longitudinal stringers are rectangular or square tubes, such as the Tata Steels Celsius®-range, as these have flat edges which makes them more suitable to connect to the longitudinal stringers.

[0029] Although it is preferable that the curved thin-walled skin sections have enough strength of themselves, by choosing an adequate combination of curvature and thickness after being connected along its longitudinal edges to the longitudinal stringers, it is, in another embodiment, provided with additional strengthening elements (7). These additional strengthening elements are preferably parallel to the short edges of the section and may consist of separate elements fixed to the skin section, or by strengthening the skin sections itself by means of inwardly or outwardly oriented intrusions such as dimples or the like. Patterns embossed on the skins help to increase the local panel buckling performance. In strengthening elements against local buckling can be intruding or protruding reinforcements in the surface of the skin sections. Intruding means that the dimples locally reduce the internal diameter of the tube section and are therefore referred to as inwardly oriented dimples. Protruding means that the dimples locally increase the internal diameter of the tube section and are therefore referred to as outwardly oriented dimples. The dimples are preferably intruding reinforcements. The shape of the dimples is not particularly restrictive, but it is advantageous to provide the dimples in a regular pattern. This regularity provides the strip with a predictable behaviour, and the dimples can be applied by means of a technology like roll forming or pressing. The depth of the dimples can be tailored to the specific case.

[0030] In its simplest form the circumferential sections are spaced equidistantly along the length of the longitudinal sections of the tube section. By means of a non-limiting example: for a tube section length having a length (L) of 30 m, if 11 circumferential sections are used, then the distance between all sections is 3 m, with a circumferential section at either end. However, in an embodiment the distance between the circumferential sections varies along the longitudinal section. In a preferred embodiment the distance between the circumferential sections is smallest at ½ L, and largest at both extremities. The distance would be varied to optimize the buckling resistance of the tube section.

[0031] It should be noted that the circumferential sections at both ends may be the same circumferential sections as those used elsewhere in the skeletal framework, or they may be specific circumferential sections with a connecting function that allow linking two adjacent tube sections together. By means of example, these specific circumferential sections may comprise two circumferential sections welded together to obtain a ring with double the width of the other circumferential sections, or the connecting function may include an expansion joint to allow for changes in length as a result of (e.g.) temperature changes.

[0032] Although the simplest form of the circumferential sections is circular, the circumferential sections may also have an oval or elliptic shape, which may have a particular relevance for switches where two tubes meet to continue as one. Circular, oval or elliptic cross sections can, for instance, be produced by bending tubes in a spiral form immediately after production. By cutting the spiral and welding the ends together closed circular, oval or elliptic circumferential sections can be produced.

[0033] In an embodiment the circumferential sections have a polygonal shape rather than circular, oval or elliptic. Although the number of sides could be as little as 3, a number of 6 or 7 could be used. However, for practical reasons the polygon preferably has at least 8 sides. Such polygonal circumferential sections could be produced by welding together straight tubes.

[0034] All elements, the longitudinal stringers, the circumferential sections and the thin-walled skin sections are preferably produced from hot-rolled steel strip. The steel strip may be as-hot-rolled, optionally galvanized and/or organically coated, or cold-rolled, annealed and optionally galvanized and/or organically coated. The as-rolled or as-coated steel strip is usually provided in the form of a coiled steel strip. If the thin-walled skin sections are produced on site using a mobile production facility directly from coiled strip, and subsequently assembling the tube section on site also solves transport problems, because transporting coils is not a problem.

[0035] In an embodiment the number of longitudinal stringers along the circumferential sections is a prime number, e.g. 11 longitudinal stringers. The inventor found that having a prime number of longitudinal stringers has a beneficial effect on the buckling resistance because for global modes there is no repeat divisible pattern mode shape possible.

[0036] In an embodiment one or more, but not all, preferably less than one third of the panels, of the thin-walled skin sections is a skin section with added functionality such as a flat skin section, e.g. a floor panel, or an installation panel for peripherals. These peripherals may be the electric rails, lighting or other installation parts needed for allowing the tube section to function as a part of an EU-system. Also, sections could be provided with hatches for emergency escape, or for access during the Hyperloop assembly. As a floor there may be a need for only a light imprint to the inner panels, or no imprint requiring a thicker gauge, or a non-slip checker plate type pattern. It may be easier to install access and escape hatches to the sections before they are assembled. Extensions to the stringers could also be used to mount accessories such as the pod guide rails in an EU-system. The EU-pod rails could be mounted directly to/from the stringers, potentially requiring stringers of different size or gauge if required.

[0037] The invention is also embodied in an evacuated tube transport system tube comprising a plurality of tube sections according to the invention wherein the pressure outside the tube is the atmospheric pressure and wherein the pressure inside the tube is less than 0.1 bar, preferably less than 0.01 bar (10 mbar), even more preferably less than 5 mbar or even 2 mbar. In applications aboveground, the pressure outside the tube is the atmospheric pressure of about 1 bar. The individual completed tube sections can be combined to form a continuous tube to form part of an EU-system. Such a tube benefits from the high buckling resistance, despite the thin walled skin sections and the relatively open skeletal frame that functions as a backbone for the tube. The adjacent tube sections can be connected using a connecting ring, which may also function as an expansion joint. The tube for an underpressure application, such as an EU-system, is divided into tube sections of a manageable size. The tube section is fixedly connected to other tube sections to form the tube (see FIG. 11). The connection between the tube sections must be airtight to allow a low pressure to exist in the tube. This airtightness may be provided by the connection itself, i.e. because of welding, or by some compound between the tube sections, such as an elastomer, when the tube sections are bolted or clamped together, or by means of an expansion joint to deal with thermal expansion of the tube sections.

[0038] An added advantage of the skeletal frame is that it can also serve as a base for mounting peripherals on the outside of the tube section or tube. For instance, solar panels could be mounted on top of the tube. Also, with the tube expected to be largely suspended high in the air from pylons, one of the most likely forms of damage will be from tall trees or telegraph poles striking the tube. Compared to other designs for ETT tubes, with the external skeletal frame, superior protection is provided.

[0039] The tube section according to the invention is suitable for constructing an evacuated tube transport system. However, the specific properties of the tube section, and its ability to perform under conditions wherein the pressure exerted on it from outside the tube produced from these tube sections is significantly higher than the pressure in the tube make it also suitable for the application of tubes operating under similar pressure conditions. Examples of these applications are underground or underwater tunnels for traffic such as bicycle tunnels, car tunnels, train tunnels, maintenance tunnels or shafts, tubes in hydro-electric power stations, gas storage systems in which underpressure occurs or may occur, etc.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0040] The invention will now be further explained by means of the following, non-limitative drawings.

[0041] FIG. 1 shows two longitudinal stringers made of 5 mm thick square 140×140 mm hollow sections. In this example the length L is 30 m.

[0042] FIG. 2 shows the longitudinal stringers of FIG. 1 together with 11 circumferential, in this example circular, sections. Sections are 120×80 rectangular hollow sections with a wall thickness of 6.3 mm.

[0043] FIG. 3 shows the skeletal framework of a tube section formed by the longitudinal stringers and the circumferential sections. The circumferential sections at the end of the framework have been left out for clarity. As explained above, these circumferential sections may be the same as the other circumferential sections or they may be specifically tailored for connecting two adjacent tube sections.

[0044] FIG. 4 shows an example of a thin walled skin-section which, in this example, is provided with additional strengthening elements (7) running parallel to the short edge of the skin section. It is very clear that the skin section is curved along the longitudinal axis. In this example the strengthening elements are outwardly oriented dimples. In this example the skin section is made from 5 mm hot rolled steel sheet.

[0045] FIG. 5 shows the skin section of FIG. 4 fixed onto the framework of FIG. 3. In this example the location of the strengthening elements coincides with the location of the circumferential sections. The connection between the longitudinal stringers and long edges of the skin section is airtight, and the connection is preferably made by welding (such as laser welding, laser hybrid welding, gas metal arc welding, or any other suitable form of welding).

[0046] FIG. 6 shows the completed tube section, again without the circumferential sections at both ends.

[0047] FIG. 7 shows the completed tube section, as seen from the side, which clearly shows that the distance between the circumferential sections is different in the middle of the tube section compared to the ends. The tube in this example is sized to give an internal cross-sectional area equivalent to a 4.5 m diameter tube.

[0048] FIG. 8 shows a cross section of the tube section, highlighting the three main elements: the longitudinal stringers (3), the circumferential section (4) and the skin sections (5). It is clearly shown that a flat edge of the stringer is fixed, e.g. by welding, to the inside flat edge of the circumferential section. Also, it is clearly shown that the edges of the skin section are fixed to the stringer, e.g. by welding. In this example, the edge of a skin section is fixed to a corner of the stringer. This is the shortest distance between the two adjacent stringers, so it is the most material efficient location, and the most accessible location. However, although not the preferable option, it would also be possible to fix the skin section to another location of the stringer, for instance at mid-height of the stringer, more towards the circumferential section. This way the incircle could be slightly increased.

[0049] The curvature of the skin section is indicated by means of the radius R and centre point M. It is deemed essential that the centre point M lies outside the tube section. If the centre point lies inside the tube section, then either the curvature of the skin section is too large (see FIG. 9a), resulting in excess material use, too small an incircle and unfavourable buckling properties, or the curvature is such that the centre point lies inside the tube (see FIG. 9b), meaning that the skin sections are not loaded in tension, but in compression, which is very disadvantageous for the buckling resistance.

[0050] FIG. 10 shows an example of the polygonal circumferential sections, rather than the circular one of FIG. 8. The polygonal character of the section means that the distance from the centre point to the circumferential section is not a constant (see the length of the arrows in FIG. 10), which leaves the middle of each flat section (the shortest distance between centre point and circumferential section) less effective in resisting global buckling.

[0051] FIG. 11 shows a part of an evacuated tube transport system tube (1) comprising a plurality of tube sections (2) in an aboveground application wherein the pressure outside the tube is the atmospheric pressure and wherein the pressure inside the tube is less than 0.1 bar. The tube is supported e.g. by pylons (schematically drawn only on the right-hand side).

[0052] FIG. 12 shows the situation where the tube (1) is subjected to a pressure difference (P.sub.outside=1 bar, P.sub.inside=(much) lower than 1 bar). Depending on the pressure difference P.sub.outside−P.sub.inside the force (F.sub.pressure) exerted on the skin panels increases. The higher this force, the higher the tension stress in the skin panel between the stringers to which the skin panel is attached. The force exerted on the skin panels only causes a tenion stress in the direction between the stringers. As soon as the pressure difference is zero, the F.sub.pressure also becomes zero. So there is only a tension stress in the skin panels if there is a pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the tube, which is the case in all underpressure applications. During construction of the tube section and during construction of the tube comprising a plurality of tube sections, there is no tension in the skin panels as long as there is no pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the tube.