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Revision as of 17:43, 29 January 2008
- For the use of "unimodal" in mathematics and statistics, see Unimodal function
UniModal Inc. or "UniModal Transport Solutions Inc." is the company developing SkyTran, a patented personal rapid transit (PRT) system designed by inventor Douglas Malewicki. SkyTran will use light, 2-passenger vehicles on elevated passive magnetic levitation tracks that can be supported by standard utility poles. SkyTran is expected to achieve energy efficiencies equivalent to at least 200 miles per gallon, and could be partly or completely powered by solar cells above the tracks. This puts it in the category of Sustainable transport or Green vehicles.
SkyTran will transport passengers at speeds of 100 miles per hour or more (much less in dense cities where the need to space on- and off-ramps every few blocks will limit acceleration distances). The design has not been proven by a full-scale demonstration, but the crucial technologies have been. For instance, the company General Atomics has built a full-scale model of the Inductrack passive magnetic levitation system SkyTran depends on. [1] Less crucial components including speaker-independent speech recognition to interact with riders have been demonstrated many times in other industries such as telephone response systems.
The all-permanent-magnet Inductrack is the largest conceptual difference between SkyTran and other PRT systems in development. Because Inductrack does not require superconducting magnets and levitates at a low speed, it is a good match for a system with small, inexpensive vehicles. Inductrack is under intensive research by General Atomics, Lawrence Livermore national Laboratory, Advanced Maglev Systems, Unimodal and others in cooperation with NASA, Navy and USDOT.
Advanced Maglev Systems is working as strategic partner with Unimodal Inc. in the development of SkyTran. Advanced Maglev Systems has been working with NASA and Navy in the development of systems using Inductrack system to launch rockets and aircraft.
No full-sized SkyTran prototype exists yet, but Jerry Spellman (Unimodal Inc., Proposals, Public Relations, Government Relations) says "A 1,000 foot loop, two-vehicle MagLev prototype is under development through as US Department of Transportation Contract, with assistance from NASA's Center for Advanced Manufacturing, and private investment dollars."
System details
The system design has few moving parts, the main ones being the pod itself, its parking-wheels and door, and fans in heating and air conditioning units. Technology with fewer moving parts has potential for being more reliable and requiring less maintenance, but actual designs may vary. The promoters refer to the system as "solid state".
Guideway
A 3D grid design avoids intersections by allowing guideways to cross above or below each other. Guideways would be mounted on poles about 30 feet above the ground and would be made of modular steel components, attached to cemented foundations.
Pods
SkyTran pods, which are suspended from the guideway, would be aerodynamically streamlined to be quieter and save energy (helped by the tandem design - one seat behind the other). Above two mph the Inductrack would lift the pod off the guideway; below two mph, wheels would support the pod. [2]
Magnetic levitation
The magnetic levitation system would be the passive Inductrack system. Passive maglev requires no direct power to levitate vehicles, rather the lift is caused by the movement of the vehicle over the coiled wire in the track. Inductrack, invented by Dr. Richard Post of the American Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories, has been proposed for several maglev transportation systems including railroad cars and rocket launchers, and at least one full-sized prototype has been built by General Atomics, Inc., which received a 2004 R&D 100 award for the project. [3]
References
- http://archives.cnn.com/2002/TECH/space/01/03/maglev.launches/index.html
- http://www.sussex.ac.uk/press_office/bulletin/22oct99/article1.html
- http://www.askmar.com/Inductrack/inductrack.html
- http://www.portoflosangeles.org/DOC/REPORT_ECCO_102706.pdf
- http://www.memagazine.org/backissues/membersonly/february2000/features/birds/birds.html
- "Tech 2010: #06 The Morning Glide; The Train You're Never Late For", New York Times Magazine June 11, 2000
- http://sbir.gsfc.nasa.gov/SBIR/abstracts/00/sbir/phase1/SBIR-00-1-03.01-8271.html
- http://www.azcentral.com/members/Blog/SkyTranArizona
- http://www.skytran.net/13AboutUs/bio07-Spellman.htm
- http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/0808spellman,jerry.html
- ^ This article in the October 2004 issue of the Lawrence Livermore journal Science and Technology shows the General Atomics team posing atop what is described as a full-scale Inductrack model
- ^ Lawrence Livermore national Laboratory
- ^ Rennie, Gabriele (October 8, 2004). "(doc) Magnetically Levitated Train Takes Flight". Science and Technology, the journal of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.
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