On the 13th, the global tech community was shaken by a groundbreaking piece of news: US-based startup Hyperloop One announced the successful testing of its super high-speed rail technology in a vacuum environment. While the outside world celebrated the milestone, many were skeptical, questioning whether this was truly revolutionary tech or just another flashy concept.
The image above shows the "Super Ring 1" vacuum pipeline on the left and a prototype capsule train on the right. As reported by Reuters, the company's initial trial reached a speed of 113 km/h over 5.6 seconds within the pipeline. This marks the first comprehensive test of the technology in a fully controlled vacuum setting. Shervin Pishevar, co-founder of the company, expressed optimism about achieving the expected results.
Hyperloop One plans to conduct further trials over the coming months on a 500-meter DevLoop track. The goal is to push speeds beyond 400 km/h while validating updated components and software. The concept itself, originally proposed by Elon Musk of SpaceX, envisions maglev trains traveling at speeds up to 1,200 km/h inside vacuum tubes.
However, despite the excitement, significant hurdles remain. Critics point out potential risks, such as catastrophic failures in a vacuum environment or the immense logistical challenges of maintaining a perfect vacuum. Additionally, the cost of constructing even short-distance tracks could exceed $100 billion, making the project economically unfeasible.
Yue Jianhai, a professor at Northern Jiaotong University, told the Global Times that short-distance vacuum pipelines lack practical value. He noted that China’s current high-speed rail network prioritizes connectivity through an extensive grid rather than isolated vacuum connections. Despite this, China is actively exploring the technology. Both Southwest Jiaotong University and Beijing Jiaotong University are conducting research into vacuum tube maglev systems.
Taiwan's Want Daily reported that manned tests of these systems have already taken place in mainland China. Experts anticipate the debut of such trains in top-tier cities by 2023, with potential speeds reaching 2,900 km/h. Meanwhile, China is also working on the world’s first underwater vacuum tunnel rail project. Zhejiang province aims to construct a 10-kilometer long submerged maglev line connecting Zhoushan’s Lujiabang and Taohua Island. Preliminary geological studies are complete, and discussions involving top academics are underway.
This ambitious project underscores China’s commitment to cutting-edge transportation solutions. While the technology holds immense promise, overcoming engineering and financial challenges remains crucial before it can become a viable alternative to traditional rail networks.
Porcelain Fuse Cutout
Dropout Fuse Cutout and load drop fuse cutout are outdoor used high-voltage protective devices. They are connected with the main lines of the distribution transformer or the distribution wires to protect the transformer or wires from short circuit and overload, and on/off loading current. Dropout fuse cutout consists of insulating bracket and fuse tube. The static contacts are fixed on the two ends of bracket, while the moving contacts are fixed on the two ends of fuse tube. Fuse tube is composed of inner extinction tube and the outer epoxy glass tube. The load drop fuse cutout is added with elastic supporting contacts and arcing shield for switching on-off loading current. In normal operation, the fuse tube will form an enclosure via its tightened fuse link. The fuse will be melt off quickly and form an arc if there is any fault, the extinction tube is heated by the arc, exploding much gas to give high pressure into the tube and blow along with the tube, so the arc is quickly elongated and extinguished. When the fuse is cut off, moving contacts at the bottom turn down without tension; the locking frame will release the fuse, so the fuse drops to form obvious break. When it needs to put load on, start the contact with insulating cod, then the static and moving contacts are still keeping in touch, keep pulling the contacts till the supporting contacts apart. Then there is the arc among the supporting contacts, which is prolonged in the narrow space of arcing shield.At the same time, the arc extinguishing cover generates gas, and the arc is extinguished when the current exceeds zero.
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Jilin Nengxing Electrical Equipment Co. Ltd. , https://www.nengxingelectric.com