Hyperloop Simulation as the Key to Future High-Speed Mobility

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Speed is the central pace-setter of modern life. The transportation systems of tomorrow must also become faster, more efficient, and more sustainable. One approach is the Hyperloop concept: an almost airless tube channel in which magnetically levitating transport capsules can travel at up to 900 km/h (~560 mph) – emission-free, energy-efficient, and quiet.

Since 2015, a student research team from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has been working on this vision. From participating in the SpaceX Hyperloop Pod competition, the TUM Hyperloop Team emerged, which today operates a fully scaled demonstration facility. In 2023, the team achieved the first manned ride under vacuum conditions – a European milestone toward sustainable high-speed mobility.

How Does Hyperloop Work?

The Hyperloop combines a low-pressure tube (1 to 10 mbar /  0.03 to 0.3 inHg) with electrically powered transport capsules, known as pods, that levitate contactlessly on a magnetic field.Unlike today's maglev trains, the TUM concept is based on compact, autonomous vehicles for 20 to 50 people. The pods move through a modular track network that is structured similarly to a rail system but allows for significantly shorter cycle times and lower operating costs. The drive is entirely electromagnetic, without moving mechanical parts. This eliminates friction and wear, which significantly reduces maintenance efforts and energy consumption. The entire system is expected to be operated in a climate-neutral manner in the future—a crucial step towards sustainable mobility.

The entire system is expected to be operated in a climate-neutral manner in the future—a crucial step towards sustainable mobility.

Why is Simulation a Success Factor?

The development of a Hyperloop system is an interdisciplinary challenge: Fluid mechanics, magnetic field technology, structural behavior, control systems, and thermodynamics must be coordinated with each other.Since real testing environments with vacuum and high speeds are scarcely available, numerical simulation plays a central role. Virtual development tools enable the team to assess designs, optimize parameters, and understand complex physical interactions—long before a physical prototype is created.In this way, the development cycle can be significantly shortened without compromising safety or efficiency.

How Are Physical Phenomena Virtually Represented?
 

In the Munich Hyperloop project, simulation is not an ancillary tool but an integral part of every work package—from aerodynamics to propulsion to structural mechanics. The team relies on a range of specialized Ansys solutions to virtually represent the physical phenomena of the entire system.

 

• Flow Analysis in Partial Pressure System:
  In the field of aerodynamics, the team uses Ansys Fluent to examine the airflow around the pod in an environment with significantly reduced ambient pressure. Physical tests in a vacuum would be time-consuming and costly; on the other hand, numerical analyses provide precise insights into pressure distributions, shock waves, and temperature fields.Using Ansys Fluent Meshing, complex geometries of the pod can be accurately meshed and optimized. The results are incorporated into design studies created in Ansys Discovery and are subsequently systematically compared in Ansys Workbench. This targeted optimization of shape aims to minimize air resistance, lift, and acoustic effects.
• Electromagnetic Levitation and Drive:
  For the levitation and drive system, magnetic fields and coil arrangements are designed using the electromagnetic field solver Ansys Maxwell. This tool allows for the analysis of static and dynamic magnetic fields, the examination of coil geometries, and the assessment of the resulting forces on the pod.Based on these simulations, the interaction between the magnetic field, control systems, and vehicle mass can be modeled in detail. Virtual calculations enable the assurance of stability, energy efficiency, and temperature behavior of the coils during the early development phase—without the need for extensive physical test setups.
• Structural Mechanics and Lightweight Construction:
  The mechanical design of the pressure cabin and the support structure is carried out in Ansys Mechanical. Here, alternative construction methods—such as riveted frame structures made of aluminum or stringer frames made of composite materials—are compared. The simulations take into account both static loads and vibration behavior, thermal influences, and pressure differences between the interior and the vacuum tube. This allows for the determination of the optimal combination of weight, strength, and rigidity.

What’s Next in Terms of Simulation at TUM Hyperloop?

In the long term, the team is working to further connect its simulation environment. The goal is to create coupled multiphysics models that can simultaneously compute flow, magnetics, and structure. Through High Performance Computing (HPC), three-dimensional models with shorter computation times are to be realized in the future—a step toward a complete digital twin of the Hyperloop system. This digital twin is intended to virtually accompany not only development and testing but also operation and maintenance, thereby creating a seamless digital process chain.

What Are the Benefits of Virtual Development?

The work of the TUM Hyperloop team exemplifies how simulation and digital development contribute to accelerating technological innovation. What is being created in the laboratory in Munich is more than just a demonstrator—it is a model for the connected, data-driven vehicle development of the future. Virtual methods make it possible to identify technical risks early, shorten development times, and make sustainability measurable.This makes it clear: The mobility of tomorrow will not only be determined on tracks or roads—but on the servers, computing clusters, and simulation platforms where engineers are currently calculating the future.

The mobility of tomorrow will not only be determined on tracks or roads—but on the servers, computing clusters, and simulation platforms where engineers are currently calculating the future.