Atmostrack - How it Works
Atmostrack
This part of the page describes the Atmostrack system in the preferred configuration - above ground with the drive mechanism below the vehicles.
It should be kept in mind that the system can also be used in an overhead configuration.
Civil and Structural Engineering
Civil engineering consists mainly in foundations for the upright support columns. Foundations can as simple as poured concrete or as complex as auto height adjusting air suspension on the support columns.
Atmostrack is very light and with pre-engineered structural components it can be deployed and un-deployed rapidly with no rock cuts or other expensive civil engineering.
The Mechanical System
Background - the atmospheric railway was used in commercial service in the nineteenth century in Ireland, England and France. Brunel used in for the South Devon Railway, mainly because of its power advantage for gradient on the route. With atmospheric railways, the train was connected via a pylon to the drive tube below the train and running full length along the route. The drive tube was about 50cm in diameter. Only vacuum was used and large pumping stations along the route evacuated the entire drive tube ahead of the train. Atmospheric pressure behind the train provided the power. The linear seal consisted (in Brunel's case at least) of leather flaps held in place by cast iron weights.
The atmospheric railway was a technical success, except for the upkeep of the leather seal. Passengers and drivers alike preferred the quiet, smoke-free operation.
With Atmostrack, both vacuum and compressed air are used. As with the old atmospheric railway, vacuum is used ahead of the vehicle. However, with Atmostrack compressed air is also used behind the vehicle to boost the atmospheric pressure.
With the atmospheric railway, the entire length of drive tube ahead of the train had to be evacuated by pumping stations and the linear seal had to perform over the entire length.
With Atmostrack, compressed air and vacuum are kept alongside the track and drive tube in accumulators. The accumulators allow the simultaneous use of different types of compressors and evacuators to keep the accumulators charged. The accumulators are called positive and negative mains. The drive tube is divided into sections by means of valves similar to gate valves (but with safety features built in). In contrast to the old atmospheric railway, this means the linear seal needs to function only in the active drive tube section. Length of sections can therefore be calculated as a function of the linear seal's efficiency.
Compressed air from the positive main and vacuum from the negative main are channeled into the drive tube by valves located close to the ends of each section of the drive tube. These are called side valves.
Acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle is done by regulating the side valves that let in the compressed air and vacuum. This permits a variety of control options, from software controlled through driver controlled or even mechanical control with the vehicle triggering valve operation.
With braking performed by reversal of the valve positions, compressed air and vacuum are returned to the accumulators. Our engineering study concluded that up to 20% can be regained during deceleration. The study also showed that acceleration was constant. This is a bonus for passenger comfort.
Final braking during deceleration is done by brake pads on the line truck being pressed against the inside of the drive tube. Vehicle wheels will be equipped with brakes but these would be used only in the event of catastrophic system failure.
The ComVac
This is a deliberately vague sketch of the ComVac.
The patent application for the ComVac is currently being written, hence any detailed discussion can occur only after a confidentiality agreement is in place.
However, in order to get things moving, the inventor is prepared to share the patent with a participating company.
The ComVac is an entirely mechanical and simple device powered by water running downhill. It is appropriate in places that are blessed with both much rain and gradient.
The ComVac will work in areas of intermittent water flow. It is a scalable device and it is also suitable for micro generation of compressed air and vacuum.
Together
Atmostrack and the ComVac together can provide rapidly constructed infrastructure in mountainous places with plenty of rain.