Design and development of the Hyperloop Deployable wheel system

In 2013 Elon Musk inspired engineers and entrepreneurs with his idea for a 5th mode of transportation: the Hyperloop. Using large near-vacuum tubes as a medium, Musk envisioned sending humans and cargo in levitating pods from Los Angeles to San Francisco California in 35 minutes or less. Consisting of multiple subsystems, these pods would use magnetic or air-bearing technology for primary levitation to accommodate speeds approaching 700 mph. To address Musk’s call for a traditional deployable wheel system to provide added safety and low-speed mobility for the pods, a patent-pending Hyperloop Deployable Wheel System (HDWS) was developed. This report details the author’s contribution to the design and development of the award-winning HDWS and examines the constraints and limitations imposed by the Hyperloop concept: small operational space, near-vacuum low-pressure conditions, high-speed use and smooth ride requirements.