Speed Monster - Hydraulic launch
In the Speed Monster roller coaster, the lift hill is replaced by a
hydraulic launch. This technique was developed a few years ago
for Cedar Point, Ohio, aiming for the worlds highest and fastest roller
coaster, the Top Thrill Dragster, which opened in 2003, where the train
reaches 200 km/h in 4 seconds. The energy needed for the SpeedMonster
train to
reach the top is stored before launch by compressing nitrogen to 300
times normal atmospheric pressure. During launch, the gas expands,
forcing the hydraulic oil to reach the winch that catapults train and
riders out of the station with sufficient speed to reach the top of the
first hill. With this technique, high speed can be reached faster and in
shorter time.
Read more about the gas pressure
during launch.
The graph shows distance (m), speed (m/s) and acceleration
(m/s2) during launch.
Related links:
-
MachineDesign.com gives a
presentation of the larger version:
Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point, Ohio,
"The coaster with the moster"
-
Coasters and More has an article in German on the
technology, including a nice
animering.
-
http://www.networkworld.com/news/2005/071105widernetcoaster.html
Networkworld - On computers and sensors in Top Thrill Dragster
-
History Channel's "Modern Marvels" Clip about Six Flag's Kingda Ka Coaster
- Roller Coaster Data Base (search
for Speed Monster)
-
FunWorld Magazine 2003 om "Launch Coasters"
-
Quality hydraulic
pressure; Compute
Accumulator
sizing
- Calculate
temperature, etc
- What is a
Hydraulic accumulator? How does a
Hydraulic pump work?
- Entertainment engineering, Vol I, #2, p 22, describes a similar launch
Pneumatics break roller coasters speed record
-
3-2-1 Launch, Duane Marden, Fun World Magazine, july 2003,
review of launched coasters
-
Roller Coaster Launch System patent US2004083921
- Roller
coaster launch system winch, patent US2005045861
http://physics.gu.se/LISEBERG/tf/speedmonster/launch.html
2007-08-02
AMP