The Boeing Company
Vacuum volume reduction system for a vacuum tube vehicle station

Abstract:

A modular tube volume reduction assembly for use at a vacuum tube vehicle station is provided. The assembly includes a modular station vacuum tube having a tube volume and a plurality of cavities longitudinally formed around a circumference of the modular station vacuum tube, and a volume reduction assembly integrated with the modular station vacuum tube, where the volume reduction assembly includes a plurality of blocks longitudinally coupled to a cavity interior of each of the plurality of cavities. The assembly includes a control system coupled between the modular station vacuum tube and the blocks. The control system radially moves the blocks to and from a vehicle outer surface of a vacuum transport tube vehicle at the vacuum tube vehicle station. The assembly displaces the tube volume between a station wall and the vehicle outer surface, and reduces the volume to be evacuated at the vacuum tube vehicle station.