Some of the OpenMDAO team worked on a Hyperloop model in their spare time. The initial results from the activity are pretty encouraging. Although not everything worked out as well as had been guessed in the original Tesla/Space-X proposal, it still seems feasible from a technical standpoint.
This model mostly focused on the design/sizing of the pod itself from an aerodynamic and thermodynamic cycle perspective. This allowed us to make some estimates about the required tube sizes and theoretical maximum speeds achievable for such a system. It looks like you’ll be able to about Mach .85, and the tube will need to be about 4 meters in diameter. These results are highly preliminary, and there is still lots of work that needs to be done on this model. But this plugin is a solid start. If there is a lot of public interest, we may continue working on it. We’re also very open to any outside contributions on this effort!
Check out the github repository or review the docs we put together for the plugin.
