CHENNAI: India’s tryst with hyperloop, a high-speed transportation system, might be realised soon as TuTr Hyperloop, a deep tech startup incubated at IIT Madras, is working to create a full-scale hyperloop infrastructure with a speed of 600kmph. With lot of technology impetus from the local community, Chennai is the ideal place for its advantages and the city has the chance to have the first global test facility for Hyperloop.
The technology will be first tested at a speed of 100kmph at the 410-metre hyperloop test track at IIT Madras’ Discovery campus in Thaiyur. Once this mark is crossed, it will be tested in a longer track for 600kmph. If all goes well, the technology could even complement the Metro Rail network.
“TuTr engineers have successfully developed the linear induction motor prototype which is currently undergoing rigorous trials on the test track. The team is currently in the final stages of developing the levitation technology for this pod and will start testing on the tracks by the end of this month.
We are working towards testing the pod propulsion and levitation technologies together in the 410 metre tube in the coming weeks,” said Founder Director of TuTr Hyperloop Dr Aravind S Bharadwaj, who switched over from The Mahindra Group to help the commercialisation of Hyperloop technology.
The initial focus of TuTr Hyperloop is not to achieve 600kmph but to make the technology commercially viable for practical use in India. “We have already identified real-world applications of this technology. One such potential application is to augment the existing Metro Rail network with a high-speed corridor developed with appropriate components of hyperloop technology.
However, a key challenge is to develop it at a competitive cost. If we are able to cover 60km in 15 minutes, we will have a technology solution that will address a societal need. The pod can be like a bus taking 30 to 40 passengers at a stretch in a dedicated high-speed corridor,” he explained, adding that the hyperloop could also be used in moving containers from Chennai Port helping in reducing the congestion and in mining without disturbing the eco-sensitive zones.
The technocrat also said the pods can be a sustainable mode of transportation on the IIT campus itself. “This need not be at high speed and it can serve as a test bed for developing levitation technology.”
He further said that the tube is designed to be a vacuum-sealed environment, allowing testing of hyperloop pods at near-zero air resistance conditions, which is crucial for achieving the high speeds associated with hyperloop travel. “The pod design has been inspired by the Falcon in the Indian context ‘Garuda’ and we are planning to extend it to 450 metres making it one of the longest hyperloop testing facilities,” said Bharadwaj.
TuTr has already been plugged into the global hyperloop community through collaboration agreements with other leading technology start-ups in Europe such as Swisspod and Hardt Hyperloop. The initiative is supported by various industry partners and academic stakeholders, including a grant of Rs 8 crore from Indian Railways with the Union Government as the primary supporter.
Till now it has received `15 crore in grants. The project has also attracted support from leading companies, including L&T, Arcelor Mittal, Hindalco, Dassault, Ansys, and TI, who provide resources, funding and expertise.
With Europe in the race to develop hyperloop technology, Bharadwaj said when the project was started, the technology in India was at least three to five years behind. “Now we are almost catching up with them,” he said. To nurture youngsters in the area of hyperloop technology, IIT Madras is planning to host the Global Hyperloop Competition in February of next year.
Original News Link
https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/tamil-nadu/2024/Sep/23/iit-madras-startup-may-give-life-to-hyperloop-dreams
