The aerodynamic drag on a train running in an evacuated tube varies with tube air pressure, train speed and shape, as well as blockage ratio. This paper uses numerical simulations to study the effects of different factors on the aerodynamic drag of a train running at subsonic speed in an evacuated tube. Firstly, we present the assumption of a steady state, two dimensional, incompressible viscous flow with lubricity wall conditions. Subsequently, based on the Navier-Stokes equation and the k-c turbulent models, we calculate the aerodynamic drag imposed on the column train with a 3-meter diameter running under different pressure and blockage ratio conditions in an evacuated tube transporta- tion （ETT） system. The simulation is performed with FLUENT 6.3 software package. An analyses of the simulation re- sults suggest that the blockage ratio for ETT should be in the range of 0.25-0.7, and the tube internal diameter in the range of 2-4 m, with the feasible vacuum pressure in the range of 1-10 000 Pa for the future subsonic ETT trains.
Since Maglev vehicles will run in a closed vacuum tube,the layout of the terminal stations of evacuated tube transportation（ETT） will differ from the traditional railway stations.This paper deals with some possible station layouts of ETT,e.g.,a station with an airlock,a station without an airlock,above ground and underground stations,and stations with either level arrayed or rotation platforms.Then different station layouts are compared,and characteristics of each are analyzed.Finally,a more secure mode for ETT station layouts is suggested,which can be the basis for future ETT station layout and designs.
Evacuated tube transportation （ETT） will be one of the ultra-large-scale vacuum application areas. This paper lists some key vacuum technology issues in ETT： （1） how to construct ultra-large-scale vacuum chamber with lower cost and high reliability, （2） how to evacuate gas out of the ETT tube in short time, （3） how to release heat or reduce temperature in the vacuum tube, （4） how to avoid vacuum discharge, （5） how to make vehicles with airproof shells and life support system, and （6） how to detect leaks and find leak positions efficiently. At the same time, some solutions are proposed.
Yaoping ZHANGDaryl OSTERMasayuki KUMADAJianye YUShengshan LI
