• CN: 11-2187/TH
  • ISSN: 0577-6686

Journal of Mechanical Engineering ›› 2025, Vol. 61 ›› Issue (2): 181-197.doi: 10.3901/JME.2025.02.181

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Development of Evacuated Tube Maglev Transport Test Platform and Research Progress on Aerodynamic Characteristics inside the Tube

DENG Zigang1,2, HU Xiao1,3, WANG Xiaofei4, LI Zongpeng4, ZHANG Weihua1,2   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Rail Transit Vehicle System, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031;
    2. Research Center for Super-High-Speed Evacuated Tube Maglev Transport, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031;
    3. Gansu Province Engineering Laboratory of Rail Transit Mechanics Application Engineering, Lanzhou Jiaotong University, Lanzhou 730070;
    4. School of Mechanics and Aerospace Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031
  • Received:2024-01-06 Revised:2024-07-02 Published:2025-02-26

Abstract: As a new type of transportation system, an evacuated tube transportation system combines maglev technology with low-pressure tube technology, which theoretically minimizes the frictional and aerodynamic resistance of trains during high-speed operation. This could potentially break the speed limits of ground rail transport, achieving speeds of 1 000 km/h or more for ultra-high-speed train. To promote the development of the evacuated tube maglev transport, this overview first summarizes the current research status of evacuated tube transport test platforms both domestically and internationally, including the U.S., South Korea, and China, where the highest model test speed has reached 1 152 km/h. It then focuses on the basic scientific issues of aerodynamics within the tube, analyzing research progress in five areas: flow states within the tube, aerodynamic loads, complex wave phenomena, aerodynamic heating, and aerodynamic noise. Finally, the outlook for the development of evacuated tube transportation is discussed, highlighting key areas for future research: refined numerical simulation methods, methods to mitigate or delay choked flow, heat dissipation pathways suitable for evacuated tube transportation system, and the evolution of flow field characteristics in the tube during prolonged train operations.

Key words: evacuated tube, maglev, aerodynamic characteristics, aerodynamic heating, choked flow

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