2018 SpaceX Hyperloop Pod Competition

Preliminary Design Briefing

Overview
- Team Roster & History
- Pod Overview
- Power Electronics
- Propulsion
- Suspension & Braking
- Navigation
- Pod States
- Braking
- Suspension
- Test & Evaluation
- Safety Features
- Contact Information
Team Roster
Jeff Stanek BSME, 2019 Team Lead Advisors:
Aaron Zapiler BSME, 2019 Co-Team Lead Douglas Gallagher, Instructor
Andrew Gras BSEE, 2019 Electrical Team Lead Mechanical Engineering
Joseph Cullen, Senior Instructor
Bejan Akhavan BSEE, 2020 Mechanical Engineering
Alexis Aragon BSME, 2019 Diane Williams, Instructor
Shelby Bartlett BSMET, 2020 Electrical Engineering
Justin Bryant BSCS, 2020
Salil Chawla MSME, 2019
Stephen Cole BSME, 2019
Eduardo Corral BSME, 2019
Mohamed Idris BSME, 2021
Omran Haghegh BSEE, 2020
Yash Naik MSME, 2019
Javis Quach BSEE, 2020
Juan Rodelo-Castillo BSME, 2019
Trevor Schlosser BSEE, 2020
Ronald Shannon BSEE, 2021
Eric Stepan BSMET, 2021
Howard Van Dam BSCS, 2020
 Team History
Team Hyperlynx started as a mechanical engineering Senior
Design project for a group of 2016 graduating students. The original
design, featuring an under-rail scissor-jack control and braking system,
was selected as one of the 30 finalists at Texas A&M in January 2016.
After selection, the design underwent a series of major changes based
on resource constraints and team changes as the seniors graduated.
The pod evolved into a four-wheeled, disc rotor braked, non-propelled
vehicle; the main goal was to demonstrate autonomous navigation and
brake control at the 1st annual competition in January 2017.

After the competition, new goals were set: grow the team to be
truly multi-disciplined, establish fundraising for the next year, and
design the new pod to be robust, simple, and safe. The pod design
was set on a 2-year timeline. For 2018: build a non-propelled vehicle to
prove our new controls and build techniques. For 2019: add an electric
propulsion system. The new rule changes in September 2017 bumped
up our propulsion plan to this year, and we hope to impress with our
resulting design.
Simple. Cheap. Fast
These are our guiding design principles. Our resources are finite, and it is critical that we design solutions that are
simple and robust, inexpensive both in money and resources, and fast to design and manufacture. We have striven to
design a pod that is “buildable”, making sure every part can be built using available techniques and materials. Aero will be
included, but is not depicted here.

For the 2018 Hyperloop Competition, the Hyperlynx design is an electrically-propelled wheeled pod with a design top
speed of 360 ft/sec and an estimated cost of $35,000.

V1.0 (Oct 2016) V1.5 (Jan 2017) V2.0 (Current)

Pod Overview
Pod Dimensions
Length: 133 inches
Height: 22.5 inches
Width: 50.6 inches
Weight: 605 lbs

Approximate Weight by Subsystem

Chassis (335 lbs)
4130 TIG Welded Frame (100 lbs)
Tires, wheels, and axles (120 lbs)
Suspension (75 lbs)
Body (40 lbs)
Propulsion (210 lbs)
Motor and motor controller (50 lbs)
Transmission (60 lbs)
HV Power (80 lbs)
Cooling (20lbs)
Brakes (50 lbs)
Low Voltage Control System (10 lbs)
Power Systems
High Voltage (HV)
- Battery: NiMnCo cells, split between 2 packs. Manufactured by Lian Innovative
- Drive: EMRAX 208 Axial flux DC synchronous permanent magnet motor/generator
- UniTek Industrie Elektronik GmbH PG-D3-400 Motor Controller
- Lian Innovative custom Battery Management System

Low Voltage (LV)

- Battery: Powerstream 12.8V, 22Ah LiFePO4 battery for all non-powertrain components
- Powers the sensors, processors, manual control panel, brake stepper motor, rail suspension actuators, transmission
control actuator, and coolant pump

Power Safety Features:

- LV fuses at manual control panel, HV battery isolation via BMS or switch with protected HV breakers
- Battery and Motor Controller master switches and Battery Isolation switch at manual control panel on pod
- Resistor bank for dissipation in the event of manual battery isolation
- Active liquid cooling; Motor receives 13L/m (recommended 8L/m), motor controller receives 13L/m (recommended
12L/m). Reservoir sealed to 1atm, with overpressure relief valve to vent offboard. Reservoir temperature will be
monitored via GUI.
High Voltage Power System
- High Voltage System will be Chassis-grounded, per Manufacturer specifications, includes:
- EMRAX 208 mm 320V/320A Axial-Flux Motor/Generator
- UniTek Industrie Elektronik Gmbh BAMOCAR-PG-D3-400 Motor Controller (24-700 V, 125-400 A peak)
- Lian Innovative NiMnCo 320V Battery Pack with integrated Battery Management System
- Emergency Excess Power Discharge System (High-Resistance dissipation for manual battery isolation switch)
- Water-Glycol Cooling system with temperature monitoring for motor and motor controller temperature management
- Shielded and isolated cables and casings to minimize electromagnetic interference
Propulsion- Overview
The pod motor is an EMRAX 208 axial flux permanent
magnet type. The motor drives a variable-speed automatic
epicyclic transmission. Transmission gear ratio is changed
by varying ring gear speed. Ring gear speed is controlled by
an external hydraulic disc brake.

The transmission output is a chain and sprocket, which

drives a sprocket on the rear axle. CV joints transfer torque
from the drive sprocket equally to the rear wheels; no
differential is used.

The front axle has the same CV joints, brake disc, and
axles, with no sprocket gear. The setup is identical to allow
for future all-wheel-drive development.
 Propulsion- Motor
EMRAX 208 Mid-Voltage Variant

Axial flux Permanent Magnet, liquid-cooled (IP65)

Voltage/Current: 320VDC, 320A(peak)

Peak Power: 80kW
Peak Torque: 150Nm
RPM: 6000 continuous, 7000 max
Weight: 9.3kg

Motor Controller (recommended by EMRAX):

UNITEK BAMOCAR-D3-700-400

Motor will be mounted directly to transmission to reduce

bending loads in shaft.
Propulsion- Transmission
● Continuously variable transmission utilizing epicyclic
gearing for constant direct gearing
● First and final gear ratios fixed; transition made by
attenuating ring gear speed via off-board hydraulic
disk brake
● Initial drive ratio of 6:1, final drive ratio of 2:1. Speed
ratios optimized for high acceleration and high top
speed while not exceeding max gear tooth stresses
and shaft torques.
● Dynamic model shows a minimum factor of safety of
2 at all mesh points using Stainless Steel 17-4
● Gear oil fill and drain ports
● Mounted to chassis on bushings to reduce vibrations
● Scale prototyping underway for proof of concept,
manufacturing refinement, and fitment testing
Suspension- Wheel
The pod rolls on four Goodyear 23” Eagle Land
Speed Record tires, which are rated to 440 ft/s at 70psi.
Wheels are aligned via 3-point laser level; low speed
alignment tests will confirm installation straightness prior to
competition.

The chassis is suspended by double-wishbone

control arms. Control arms are mild tube steel with pressed
swivel joint bearings. Wheel toe is set by an adjustable
pushrod. Four shock/springs are mounted to the chassis
spine. A pushrod on the lower control arm transfers vertical
wheel motion via a bellcrank to the shock/spring. Control
arms are mounted to an aluminum upright at the wheel.

All suspension/chassis load paths are reacted at

triangulated chassis joints. Springs will be selected for
expected empty weight loads, rail suspension loads, and
potential maximum payload loads.
Suspension- Rail
The rail suspension: 1) locates and constrains the
pod laterally, 2) constrains the pod vertically, and 3) provides
additional wheel loading to aid in acceleration and braking.

No friction braking will be used on the rail. All rail and

track plate contact will be made by bronze wheels on high
speed bearings (within specified radial loads).

During the READY state, the rail suspension linear

actuators retract to a calibrated position, resulting in ~300lbs
of additional wheel loading. This position is maintained until
the BRAKE state, when the front linear actuation is retracted
fully to compensate for nose dive.

Initial FEA results on the rail show a safety factor of

greater than 15 and max Von Mises stress of 3190psi at a
combined 100lb symmetrical vertical load and 100lb
assymetrical lateral load.
Braking System
The pod has two hydraulically actuated disc brakes;
each is centrally located on the front and rear axle. The disc
brake has an 11” iron rotor and 4-piston caliper. Hydraulics
are powered by a piston-driven Master Brake Cylinder
(MBC). A 12VDC stepper motor, connected to the MBC
piston via gear reduction, provides fine braking control.

The MBC piston also includes a calibrated

spring-return mechanism. If power is lost, the stepper motor
releases control torque and the spring drives the MBC piston
to a calibrated emergency stop position resulting in 1G
deceleration. This calibrated piston position will be based on
analytical and empirical test data for maximum allowable
braking without wheel lock-up. To disable passive braking, a
mechanical lever must be pulled and pinned (for power-off
pod removal from tube).
Navigation- Components
Master Computer - Raspberry Pi 3
Flight Control - Arduino Due
Sensor Control - Arduino Micro Pro
Motor Controllers - 3x actuator controllers, 1x stepper
controller

● The Master Computer is responsible for communication,

data logging, flight configuration, and external crew control
GUI.

● The Flight Controller performs pod state evaluation,

propulsion control, Internal Abort condition monitoring,
sensor fault checking, and motor controller commands.

● The Sensor Controllers will perform sensor polling, fault

checking where appropriate, and pass data via SPI to the
Flight Controller.
Navigation- Components
Sensors
- 4 IR detectors (OSEPP-IRD-01) track wheel markings and function as tachometers
- 2 IMU sensors will monitor 3-axis orientation and linear acceleration
- 4 Sparkfun IR Thermometer Evaluation Boards (SEN-10740) will monitor brake disc and LV battery temperatures
- 2 Sparkfun ToF Range Finder Sensor – VL6180 (SEN-12785) will monitor chassis dive/squat during flight
- 1 AttoPilot Voltage and Current Sense Breakout (SEN-10643) will monitor LV system health
- 1 Pressure Sensor (BMP180) for environmental data
- Additional sensors can be easily integrated by adding more devices to the SPI communication network.

Controllers
- 10 Arduino Pro Micros for sensor reporting, fault checking, and passing data to Flight Controller
- 4 motor controllers for linear actuators, brake stepper motor, and transmission linear actuator

All data will be communicated to the flight controller via SPI.

- Battery Management System communicates via a CAN to SPI interface
- Raspberry Pi (Master Computer) logs data and reports current pod status to the GUI
Pod State Diagram
Propulsion Logic (for top speed)
Pod States
Listed below are the different pod states, with all potential transition points.

STOP
● Default power-on state, or when pod comes to a stop post-flight. Passive braking remains on. Pod Health can
be determined quickly in this state.
● Transition: Crew selects “INIT” on GUI, transition to INIT
INIT
● Pod runs internal BIT test. Allows crew to enter flight parameters (distance, top speeds, acceleration/braking
profiles, any desired coast phase). Manual control panel is powered-on for rail fitment, motor testing, and brake
release for transportation (tube entry/exit).
● Transition: Crew selects “READY” via GUI, transition to READY
READY
● Protected Transition: adds 2nd level GUI confirmation and timer delay to prevent accidental transition into a “live”
state. Pod hands off control to Flight Control module, standing by for LAUNCH command. Internal Pod Abort
system activates. Pod retracts rail suspension to preflight load setting. Manual controls disabled. Data logging
begins.
● Transition: Crew selects “LAUNCH” via GUI, transition to ACCEL-N
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to INIT with alert
Pod States
ACCEL-N
● Pod enters Power Neutral gear. Brakes off. Motor sets 2000 RPM. Pod should not roll.
● Transition: Motor reaches 2000 RPM, transition to ACCEL-1
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to BRAKE
ACCEL-1
● Transmission controller slows the ring gear, transmitting power to the output shaft, until 6:1 final drive ratio (Motor
RPM / Wheel RPM) is reached. Motor maintains 2000 RPM. Pod begins to roll in this state. Smooth ramp up of
acceleration.
● Transition: 6:1 final drive ratio achieved, transition to ACCEL-2
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to BRAKE
-or- If COAST selected: when top speed parameter achieved, transition to COAST
ACCEL-2
● Motor sets 6000 RPM. Transmission controller maintains 6:1 final drive ratio. Maximum acceleration.
● Transition: Motor 5000 RPM achieved, transition to ACCEL-3
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to BRAKE
-or- If COAST selected: when top speed parameter achieved, transition to COAST
ACCEL-3
● Transmission controller set to 2:1 final drive ratio (locked). Motor maintains 5000 RPM. Acceleration tapers.
● Transition: Transmission controller achieves 2:1 final drive ratio, transition to ACCEL-4
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to BRAKE
-or- If COAST selected: when top speed parameter achieved, transition to COAST
Pod States
ACCEL-4
● Motor set to 5760 RPM (max). Trans controller fully engaged and locked. Min acceleration, max top speed.
● Transition: Motor reaches 5760 RPM, transition to BRAKE
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to BRAKE
(no COAST option from ACCEL-4)
BRAKE
● Motor controller set to idle. Trans controller engages fully and locks to ensure no downshift motor overspeeds.
Brakes set to 1.3G deceleration. Front rail suspension retracts fully to maximize braking force.
● Transition: Pod speed reaches 0, transition to STOP.
EMERGENCY BRAKE
● LV power loss, purely mechanical state. Passive braking of 1G begins. If power is restored, pod will reboot and
RPi will initiate GUI program; default state of STOP would be entered.
● Transition: None.
COAST
● Optional state; likely used for testing during external subtrack, low speed hyperloop, or while on jackstands.
Maintain top speed via motor RPM. Trans controller fully engages and locks.
● Transition: Desired braking point reached, transition to BRAKE
-or- Internal Pod Abort, transition to BRAKE
Test & Evaluation
It is our intention to show up with a race-ready pod, and this is our plan
to achieve that goal:

● All fabricated parts will have completed load analysis and follow
GD&T standards for reliable assembly
● Pod will complete simulated Internal Abort condition tests
● Fully documented operating checklists for crew and SpaceX
officials for each test phase
● Majority of SpaceX testing completed and documented prior to
competition (Functional, Mechanical Fit, Navigation, State
Transition, and Low Speed Tests)
● Scale model wind tunnel and simulated aerodynamic testing
● High speed dynamometer runs for propulsion testing
● Thermal load testing on coolant system
● Final Design Report will include all calculations, technical
documents, and FEA results
Safety Features
Automated Pod Health Monitoring
- Critical systems continuously monitored for faults External Pod GUI
- Automatic sensor fault-checking and isolation - Monitors all sensors, actuators, and BMS data
- Pod can trigger an automated self-abort - Sets flight parameters during INIT
- Allows crew to send commands to the pod including
Manual Control Panel (at rear of pod) abort and state transitions
- LED display for pod status and low voltage/high
voltage system conditions High & Low Voltage
- Controls for brakes, rail suspension, and - Battery isolation via integrated BMS or physical
transmission controller motion isolation switch on pod
- Master Switches, HV battery isolation switch, LV - If battery is isolated, motor controller is protected from
fuses, and protected HV circuit breakers overvoltage via IGBT & resistor bank
- - Protected battery pack circuit breakers
Emergency Braking - High Voltage is grounded to the chassis
- Calibrated, passive mechanical braking in the - Low Voltage operates with a floating ground
event of LV power loss - Active liquid cooling for High Voltage system.
 We know the Hyperloop team at SpaceX is small, so thank you for the
work you’ve put into hosting the competition.

This design project has been a labor of love for the last two years; but the
knowledge we’ve gained about design, manufacturing, systems
integration, engineering, and teamwork has been enormous.
We feel like better engineers because of it.
Thank you!

Team Information
www.DenverHyperlynx.com
[email protected]

Primary Contact
Wencil Stanek
[email protected]
[email protected]
301-442-4650