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Document summary:
- Title: Magplane Pipeline Transport
- Author: Magplane Technology, Inc., 380 Hanscom Drive, Hanscom Field, Bedford, MA 01730.
- Source: http://www.magplane.com/
- Copyright: Magplane Technology
- Date: Cached September 2000
Background
Magplane Technology designs and fabricates pipeline transport systems using the linear synchronous motor technology developed for the Magplane system. Typical applications for pipeline transport range from priority mail packages to ore transport. A typical ore application would have an underground pair of 24 inch diameter pipes for outbound and returning capsules, and typically carry 10 millions tons per year over a distance of 30 miles.
Electromagnetic drives for pipeline systems are intended to replace pneumatic capsules. Pneumatic capsule pipelines have a long history, and there are several large scale systems in current use. Conventional pneumatic systems use external blowers to move the column of air together with the capsules in the pipe. Full- diameter valves are used to control the injection, removal and subsequent return of capsules. Various practical limits constrain the throughput of these systems and limit their cost effectiveness.
The use of electromagnetic drives can greatly improve on the constraints which limit throughput in pneumatic systems, and can result in cost effective systems able to compete with truck and rail transport. Underground pipe transport can also relieve the environmental impact of conventional transport, and result in faster delivery in overcrowded metropolitan regions.
Magplane's development of capsule pipeline systems was initiated by the desire of the Florida Phosphate Industry to find a cost effective way to reduce the environmental impact of conventional transportation of their very large quantities of material. That industry projects, for example, as many as 30 million tons per year of finished product flowing to the Port of Tampa from the mining areas some 30 miles out from the port. Trucks carry the bulk of current production, and place a burden on the already stretched feeder and highway infrastructure in the region. A 30 mile pipeline from the mining region to the port would be a potential solution, but would need to be sufficiently cost effective relative to more conventional transportation to result in a satisfactory return on capital. Economic studies have been promising and have resulted in a willingness of the phosphate industry to undertake a significant R&D program.
Since beginning the phosphate application work, Magplane has also received serious expressions of interest from a large mining company for the transport of ore from deep mines to their surface mills, and from a large cement company seeking a viable alternative for their more difficult long-length conveyor belt applications.
Prototype System
A demonstration project which uses a linear synchronous motor to move vehicles has been constructed at the IMC-Agrico Company in Lakeland, FL. The demonstration utilizes 700 feet of 24 inch diameter cylindrical cast "waste water" fiberglass tube, and includes a 200 foot long accelerator/decelerator section, a switch, and load and unload stations. The test vehicle traverses back and forth at a peak speed of 40 mph. The 6 foot wheelbase vehicle uses six-wheel assemblies at each end of a rotating hopper, and has a payload capacity of 600 pounds. The vehicle carries an array of neodymium-iron boron permanent magnets which interact with the linear motor mounted on the outside of the tube to provide propulsion, and with external coils to provide an electromagnetic switch function.
Economic Studies
Economic studies have been carried out for the phosphate applications. The computer takes engineering and unit cost inputs and projects capital and operating costs for any prospective system. Major capital cost components include pipeline, vehicles, magnet assemblies, windings and load/unload stations. The elements of operating cost include power, material costs for maintenance (taken as a fixed percentage of capital cost) and labor costs for operating and maintaining the system. The "total system cost" includes operating and capital recovery costs.
The case studies show that pipeline diameters ranging from 18 to 24 inches and vehicle speeds of 20 to 40 mph are generally optimal for systems operating in the 3 to 30 mile, l to 10 million tons/year range. Slower speeds are more efficient at short distances where the load/unload station costs are a substantial fraction of the total cost. In nearly all cases, pipeline costs are the largest single component of capital cost, whereas the second-most expensive component depends on the distance and tonnage. The model minimizes total system cost, which is defined here as the sum of the annualized capital cost plus the operating cost. Calculation of the annualized capital cost requires a choice of a minimum attractive rate of return and a time over which the return will be realized. In our studies we have fixed these at 20% and 20 years as illustrative. Typical cost elements for the minimum cost system to transport 10 million tons/year a distance of 30 miles are summarized in the table. The total operating costs are competitive with rail and truck.
| Capital Cost | $M | % |
|---|---|---|
| Pipeline | 18.8 | 30.7 |
| Vehicles | 15.6 | 25.5 |
| Magnet assemblies | 7.8 | 12.7 |
| Motor windings | 7.7 | 12.6 |
| Load/unload stations | 5.5 | 9.0 |
| Power units outbound | 3.3 | 5.4 |
| Power units returning | 1.6 | 2.6 |
| Central control | 0.5 | 0.8 |
| Block control units | 0.4 | 0.7 |
| Total | 61.2 | 100.0 |
| Capital recovery ($/t-mile) | 0.042 | |
| Operating Cost | $M/y | % |
| Power | 3.3 | 49.3 |
| Maintenance | 1.8 | 27.7 |
| Labor | 1.5 | 23.0 |
| Total | 6.7 | 100.0 |
| Operating cost $/ton-mile | 0.022 | |
| Total System Cost ($/t-mile) | 0.064 | |
Impact of the Growth of e-Commerce
Transport of phosphate is typical of a low-end product where transportation cost is of prime importance. In high-end product transport, for example priority mail packages, convenience and speed are more likely to be the dominant factor.
Priority mail package delivery can be anticipated to grow significantly in the future driven by e-commerce. The growth of e-commerce, in fact, may well overwhelm the conventional delivery infrastructure, particularly surrounding airports and urban centers. Underground capsule pipeline systems could link airports and distributed warehouse facilities throughout major metropolitan regions where consumers could conveniently pick up their purchases.