Vacuum volume reduction system and method with fluid fill assembly for a vacuum tube vehicle station

A vacuum volume reduction system for reducing a volume, under a vacuum, and displacing the volume with a fluid, in a vacuum tube vehicle station, the vacuum volume reduction system comprising:

• a volume reduction assembly comprising a fluid fill assembly coupled to an interior of a station wall of the vacuum tube vehicle station, to reduce the volume, under the vacuum, in the vacuum tube vehicle station, when a vacuum transport tube vehicle is positioned in the volume at the vacuum tube vehicle station, the fluid fill assembly comprising:
• one or more containers positioned under the vacuum tube vehicle station, each container containing the fluid;
• one or more pipes, each having a first end attached to a bottom portion of the interior of the station wall, and each having a second end disposed within one of the one or more containers, the one or more pipes configured to transport the fluid from the one or more containers to one or more enclosed volume portions formed between an exterior of the vacuum transport tube vehicle and the interior of the station wall, to reduce the volume, and to displace the volume with the fluid;
• one or more fluid pump assemblies attached to the one or more pipes, to pump the fluid from the one or more containers into the one or more enclosed volume portions, each of the one or more fluid pump assemblies comprising a fluid pump, a motor coupled to the fluid pump, and a control valve coupled to the fluid pump, to control a flow of the fluid;
• and
• a control and power system;
• one or more recessed areas positioned at a top portion of the interior of the station wall of the vacuum tube vehicle station, each of the one or more recessed areas having a valve configured to capture within the recessed area any air from an air leak, and having a vent configured to evacuate the air out of the recessed area;
• a vent-to-vacuum assembly coupled to the one or more recessed areas, via one or more openings in an exterior of the station wall;
• a plurality of seal elements, to seal off the one or more enclosed volume portions;
• and an air supply assembly coupled to the station wall, and configured to supply air to a door cavity positioned between each of one or more vehicle doors of the vacuum transport tube vehicle and each of one or more station doors of the vacuum tube vehicle station, wherein the one or more vehicle doors and the one or more station doors are configured to open and close, to load and unload one or more of, passengers, and cargo, through the one or more vehicle doors and through the one or more station doors.

A method of using a vacuum volume reduction system, to reduce a volume, under a vacuum, and to displace the volume with a fluid, in a vacuum tube vehicle station, the method comprising the steps of:

• positioning a vacuum transport tube vehicle in the volume in the vacuum tube vehicle station;
• sealing off, with a plurality of seal elements of the vacuum volume reduction system, one or more enclosed volume portions, formed between an exterior of the vacuum transport tube vehicle and an interior of a station wall of the vacuum tube vehicle station;
• activating a volume reduction assembly of the vacuum volume reduction system, the volume reduction assembly comprising a fluid fill assembly, coupled to the interior of the station wall of the vacuum tube vehicle station, the fluid fill assembly comprising:
• one or more containers positioned under the vacuum tube vehicle station, each of the one or more containers containing the fluid;
• one or more fluid transport members, each having a first end attached to a bottom portion of the interior of the station wall, and each having a second end disposed within one of the one or more containers;
• one or more fluid pump assemblies attached to the one or more fluid transport members;
• and
• a control and power system;
• pumping the fluid, with the one or more fluid pump assemblies, from the one or more containers, through the one or more fluid transport members, and into the one or more enclosed volume portions;
• filling the one or more enclosed volume portions with the fluid, to reduce the volume, and to displace the volume with the fluid, until the one or more enclosed volume portions are in a filled state filled with the fluid;
• supplying air to a door cavity positioned between each of one or more vehicle doors of the vacuum transport tube vehicle and each of one or more station doors of the vacuum tube vehicle station;
• opening the one or more vehicle doors and the one or more station doors, to load and unload one or more of, passengers, and cargo, through the one or more vehicle doors and through the one or more station doors;
• closing the one or more vehicle doors and the one or more station doors;
• evacuating the air from the door cavity;
• transporting the fluid, with the fluid fill assembly, out of the one or more enclosed volume portions, through the one or more fluid transport members, and into the one or more containers, until the one or more enclosed volume portions are in an unfilled state with no fluid;
• and
• retracting the plurality of seal elements.