Injection System and Method for Injecting Helium and/or Hydrogen in Critical Aerodynamic Areas Around a Capsule in a Tube Transportation System

An injection system for injecting and maintaining a gaseous composition within a tube, the gaseous composition comprising at least helium and air, the tube being a part of a tubular transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargos via a capsule, the tube pumped to a pressure that is below atmospheric pressure until the tube is substantially evacuated, the tube being arranged along at least one predetermined route, the capsule comprising an outside skin layer, the system comprising:

• (a) a source of helium gas located on board the capsule, the source configured to release the helium outside of the capsule via the outside skin layer;
• (b) a plurality of injection nozzles located on the outside skin layer to inject helium from the source into the tube;
• and
• (c) a controller on board the capsule, the controller configured to:
• (1) receive sensor data from one or more sensors;
• (2) determine optimum flows to one or more of the following critical areas in an airflow outside the capsule based on sensor data received in (c)(1) and a predetermined algorithm:
• a stagnation point, a bypass area, or a shock distributed area;
• (3) operate one or more flow valves to release helium gas into the tube at one or more critical areas in (c)(2) via the plurality of injection nozzles located on the outside skin layer.

A method as implemented in an injection system for injecting and maintaining a gaseous composition within a tube, the gaseous composition comprising at least helium and air, the tube being a part of a tubular transportation system for transporting one or more passengers or one or more cargos via a capsule, the tube pumped to a pressure that is below atmospheric pressure until the tube is substantially evacuated, the tube being arranged along at least one predetermined route, the capsule comprising an outside skin layer, the method comprising:

• (a) storing a source of helium gas located on board the capsule, the source configured to release the helium outside of the capsule via a plurality of injection nozzles on the outside skin layer;
• (b) a controller on board the capsule receiving sensor data from one or more sensors;
• (c) a controller on board the capsule determining optimum flows to one or more of the following critical areas in an airflow outside the capsule based on sensor data received in (c)(1) and a predetermined algorithm:
• a stagnation point, a bypass area, or a shock distributed area;
• (d) a controller on board the capsule operating one or more flow valves to release helium gas into the tube at one or more critical areas in (c) via the plurality of injection nozzles located on the outside skin layer.