String transport

String Transport or Yunitskiy String Transport is a concept of an elevated transportation system using two "strings" or tracks with a wheeled vehicle riding on them. It is proposed for both freight and passengers designed by Russian inventor Anatoly Yunitskiy.

The project received grants from UN-HABITAT.[1][2]

In 2008 the pilot route in Khabarovsk was planned. But specialists of Moscow State University of Railway Engineering was given a negative opinion for the project and it was not implemented. In 2013 another research revealed a feasibility of the use of String Transport Systems for passenger rail in New South Wales.[3]

In 2016 the Expert Council under the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation acknowledged SkyWay string technology as innovative.[4][5] A prototype project called EcoTechnoPark, showcasing the technology, is currently being built in town Maryina Horka, Belarus (Eastern Europe) and is due for completion in 2017.[6][7][8][9][10]

Technical

The way design is based upon the use of strings built with high-tensioned steel wires inserted into a concrete/resin core and enveloped within a steel shell. It differs from traditional cable ropeways by using a perfectly flat rolling way to limit the wear, rolling resistance and noise. The functions dedicated to rope tension and rolling way are handled by separate parts. Low span intervals (~50m) coupled with tension much higher than common ropeway allow for low sag, permitting high speed operation.

The string attachments are fixed and there is no tensioning system. The steel thermal expansion over the seasons is absorbed by the modification of the tension stress in the string. As such there are no junction gaps in the rail except for switches, which are built similarly to railway switches. According to inventors, the system can utilize the most direct possible route, but it is possible to create curves by using intermediate supports which locally replace the string with steel structures.

Vehicles

String vehicles are called "unibus", "unicar", "unitruck" and "unibike" by analogy with conventional transport. Creation of string transport is conducted by SkyWay Companies Group.[11][12] It carries out design and development of the following types of string transport:

Requiring minimal ground clearance, the vehicles are streamlined, creating very low aerodynamic drag, resulting in low power consumption. The absence of any standardized gauge permits wider gauge and wheel position less intrusive in vehicles than for an ordinary railway. While some recent concept drawings show electric motors being used, the system was originally proposed using internal combustion engines for power.

Proof of concept

See also

Notes and references

  1. ↑ "Memorandum United Nations Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) by Brian Williams HSO, Shelter Branch/Infrastructure Section about Project FS-RUS-98-S01 "Sustainable development of human settlements and improvement of their communication infrastructure through the use of String Transportation System"". Unitsky String Technologies. www.yunitskiy.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  2. ↑ "Coordinating Working Group was set up to implement the project of the UN Centre for Human Settlements (Habitat) No. FS-RUS-02-S03 "Provision of Sustainable Development of Human Settlements and Urban Environment Protection through the Use of the String Transportation System"" (PDF). Unitsky String Technologies. www.yunitskiy.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  3. ↑ Hargraves, Aaron James. "A Feasibility Study into the use of String Transport Systems for Passenger Rail in New South Wales" (PDF). School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the University of New South Wales. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  4. ↑ "The Expert Council under the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation acknowledged SkyWay string technology as innovative" (PDF). Innovation and public procurement (website of Ministry of Transport of Russia). Ministry of Transport of Russia. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  5. ↑ "The Expert Council under the Ministry of transport of the Russian Federation acknowledged SkyWay string technology as innovative (in English)" (PDF). Official website of SkyWay group of companies. www.rsw-systems.com. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  6. ↑ "What is EcoTechnoPark". SkyWay official website. SkyWay. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  7. ↑ "History of the technology". Skyway Australia. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  8. ↑ "EcoTechnoPark preparatory work has begun". YouTube. SkyWay (official youtube channel). Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  9. ↑ "What happens in EcoTechnoPark on 16 March 2016". YouTube. SkyWay (official youtube channel).
  10. ↑ "Another Week In Belarus". Linkedin. Rod Hook. Retrieved 28 August 2016.
  11. ↑ "Types of SkyWay String Transport". SkyWay: information about innovative transport technology. sky-way.tech. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  12. ↑ "SkyWay Technology". Official site of SkyWay group of companies. rsw-systems.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
  13. ↑ "SkyWay rolling stock is shown to the public for the first time". SkyWay official website. SkyWay. Retrieved 21 September 2016.
  14. ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5E7KpMXvZjo&feature=player_embedded#at=54
  15. ↑ http://www.yunitskiy.com/author/2006/2006_35.pdf
  16. ↑ http://www.yunitskiy.com/author/2007/2007_54.pdf
  17. ↑ http://www.yunitskiy.com/author/2007/2007_51.pdf
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