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TRANSCRIPT
Interstate Speed Tunnels
Interstate Speed Tunnels
ABSTRACT
In highway travel, air resistance is the primary factor that reduces gas mileage. In order to
vastly reduce highway gas mileage in cars, the interstate highway system could be closed into
tunnels with fans moving the air through the tunnel in the direction of traffic. As the air speed
approaches the speed of the cars, gas mileage will approach a minimal value, thus greatly
reducing emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. In order to power the fans and the lighting
inside of the tunnel, solar panels will cover the tops of the tunnels. The excess power will be
redirected towards major cities and used to further reduce dependency on fossil fuels, most
notably coal and natural gas.
Interstate Speed Tunnels
PRESENT TECHNOLOGY
As of 2007, there are approximately 136 million automobiles in the United States. These cars
use almost 140 billion gallons of gasoline annually. While the total average gas mileage for cars
in America is about 20 miles per gallon, or MPGs, the average highway mileage is around 25
MPGs. The vast majority of the energy put into driving a car on the highway is spent on resisting
friction due to air. Solar panels are large arrays of semiconducting material which convert
sunlight into electrical energy. They are typically used in sets, with a large number of panels
connected in series or parallel. These panels are somewhat expensive, though prices are falling
rapidly with advances in production methods. In addition, solar panels currently absorb at most
15% of the energy of the sunlight that hits them.
HISTORY
Although some models of motorized vehicles were created in the 18th and 19th centuries, the automobile
did not rise into common use until the 1920s with the mass‐production of cars for consumer usage.
Since then, many technological and structural improvements have been made, but the basic mechanics
of self‐propelled vehicles has seen little change since the early 20th century. The National System of
Interstate and Defense Highways (commonly called “the Interstate”) was initiated by Dwight D.
Eisenhower in 1956. The project as originally planned was completed in 1992 with the opening of I‐70.
The Interstate highway system cost approximately $114 billion dollars and took 35 years to construct.
FUTURE TECHNOLOGY
In twenty years, Interstate Speed Tunnels will cover half of all current interstate highways in the
United States. An Interstate Speed Tunnel is a concrete covering for a highway with fans
propelling the air within the tunnel at the same velocity as the traffic. (In all following diagrams,
blue arrows indicate movement of
air.)
The fans will move air both into and out of the tunnel to prevent a buildup of harmful fumes.
Also, periodic arrays of LEDs (light‐emitting diodes) will illuminate the tunnels at all hours of the day.
In order to power the lighting and the fans, a large amount of electricity will be needed. Solar
panels will cover the top of the tunnel to provide electricity, some of which will be used
immediately and some of which will be stored in large rechargeable batteries for nighttime use.
The tunnel will open up shortly at large junctions, but only have an opening in the wall at
smaller exits.
Solar panel efficiency will likely be as high as 30% in twenty years. In addition, if construction
starts at the beginning of 2011, at least fifty percent of the Interstate highway system can be
converted to Speed Tunnels by the end of 2031. Therefore in addition to vastly reducing the
emissions coming from US vehicles, the energy from the solar panels on only a 1000 km stretch
of tunnel will produce 21.6 billion watts every day*. That’s enough energy to power the entire
state of Wyoming. With this high level of energy production, dependence on foreign oil will be
vastly reduced, and coal‐burning power plants will become obsolete, further reducing the
negative environmental impact of the US.
*Assuming panels can produce 180 Watts per hr*m2 for 15 m * 1,000,000 m and 8 hrs of good
sunlight daily.
BREAKTHROUGHS
In order for Interstate Speed Tunnels to become a practical addition to the transportation
infrastructure, three main technological breakthroughs must occur:
• Increased efficiency of solar panels,
• Mass‐production of concrete tunnels, and
• Manufacture of large, inexpensive arrays of LED lights
In addition, a significant financial investment will be necessary for such a large‐scale project to
be implemented, and so a source of fiscal support for the Interstate Speed Tunnels must be
located. The most obvious and practical candidate would be the US Federal Government.
DESIGN PROCESS During the development of the Interstate Speed Tunnel, the team considered many possible
features for its implementation which were left out for simplicity and affordability’s sake.
1) Air filters – Large filtering mechanisms could be attached to the output fans in order to
further counteract air pollution from car exhaust. This feature would have greatly
increased the costs of production and maintenance of the tunnel.
2) Directionally adapted solar panels – In order to increase the efficiency of the solar
panels, they could be put on tilting devices to make their angle perpendicular to the sun
at all times of the day. This also would greatly increase the complexity and therefore
cost of tunnel production without significantly increasing the possible energy output.
3) Inside‐only fans – In the tunnel’s original design, the fans lined the top of the tunnel and
only moved the air within the tunnel without bringing clean air inside. This design would
have caused a constant build‐up of carbon monoxide within the tunnels, a very large
health risk for travelers.
CONSEQUENCES Positive consequences of the construction of Interstate Speed Tunnels:
• Lowered fuel emissions and therefore lower environmental pollution.
• Much higher highway gas mileage.
• Less money spent on gasoline for travel, bringing distant family members together.
• Long‐distance freight costs decrease, causing lowered prices for food and goods.
• Excess energy from solar panels would both bring power to rural areas and supply more
power to urban areas.
• Coal‐ and gas‐burning power plants would become largely obsolete, further reducing
our dependence on fossil fuels and shrinking America’s carbon footprint.
• Thousands of jobs would be created (design, manufacture of parts, construction, etc.)
Negative consequences of the construction of Interstate Speed Tunnels:
• Spending on the tunnels could increase the national debt.
• The constant wind in the tunnels would make stopping in an emergency difficult.
• Ability to increase a highway’s width would disappear after the tunnel walls are built.
BIBLIOGRAPHY "Eisenhower Interstate Highway System Home Page." Federal Highway Administration: Home.
2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/homepage.cfm>.
"FHWA ‐ FAPG, 23 CFR 470A, Federal‐Aid Highway Systems." Federal Highway Administration:
Home. 19 Dec. 1997. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/fapg/cfr0470a.htm#470111>.
The Henry Ford. "Showroom of Automotive History: The Model T." The Henry Ford: America's
Greatest History Attraction Home Page. The Henry Ford, 1999. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1908/model.t.html>.
Think Quest. "The Invention of the Car." ORACLE ThinkQuest. Oracle Education Foundation.
Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <www.library.thinkquest.org/J002604/LG‐car.html>.
US Census Bureau. "State Motor Vehicle Registrations." United States Census. US Census
Bureau, 2007. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s1060.pdf>.
"Gasoline FAQs ‐ Energy Information Administration." U.S. Energy Information Administration ‐
EIA ‐ Independent Statistics and Analysis. 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2010.
<http://www.eia.doe.gov/ask/gasoline_faqs.asp>.
All graphics were created with Google SketchUp and the GIMP v2.6.9.
In highway travel, air resistance is the primary factor that reduces gas mileage. In order to vastly reduce highway gas mileage in cars, the interstate highway system could be closed into tunnels with fans moving the air through the tunnel in the direction of traffic. As the air speed approaches the speed of the cars, gas mileage will approach a minimal value, thus greatly reducing emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. In order to power the fans and the lighting inside of the tunnel, solar panels will cover the tops of the tunnels. The excess power will be redirected towards major cities and used to further reduce dependency on fossil fuels, most notably coal and natural gas.
1672 – First automobile created.1839 – French physicist Antoine‐César
Becquerel invents the solar panel.1920s – Cars rise into common usage
and are mass‐produced. 1930s‐2010s – Countless structural
improvements make cars safer, faster, and more efficient.
1956 – Interstate Highway System initiated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.
1992 – Interstate completed (35 years and $114 billion later) when highway I‐70 officially opens.
Automobiles • 136 million cars in the US • 140 billion gallons of gas used annually • Average total gas mileage: 20 MPGs • Average highway mileage: 25 MPGs. • Most energy is spent on resisting friction due to air when on the highway.
Solar Panels
Large arrays of semiconducting material which convert sunlight into electricity Typically used in sets, with a large number of panels connected in series or parallel Expensive, but becoming more affordable. Solar panels currently absorb at most 15% of the solar energy that hits them.
"Eisenhower Interstate Highway System Home Page." Federal Highway Administration: Home. 2010. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/interstate/homepage.cfm>.
"FHWA ‐ FAPG, 23 CFR 470A, Federal‐Aid Highway Systems." Federal Highway Administration: Home. 19 Dec. 1997. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/legsregs/directives/fapg/cfr0470a.htm#470111>.
The Henry Ford. "Showroom of Automotive History: The Model T." The Henry Ford: America's Greatest History Attraction Home Page. The Henry Ford, 1999. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.hfmgv.org/exhibits/showroom/1908/model.t.html>.
Think Quest. "The Invention of the Car." ORACLE ThinkQuest. Oracle Education Foundation. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <www.library.thinkquest.org/J002604/LG‐car.html>.
US Census Bureau. "State Motor Vehicle Registrations." United States Census. US Census Bureau, 2007. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2010/tables/10s1060.pdf>.
"Gasoline FAQs ‐ Energy Information Administration." U.S. Energy Information Administration ‐ EIA ‐ Independent Statistics and Analysis. 2009. Web. 11 Nov. 2010. <http://www.eia.doe.gov/ask/gasoline_faqs.asp>.
All graphics were created with Google SketchUp and the GIMP
In highway travel, air resistance is the primary factor that reduces gas mileage. In order to vastly reduce highway gas mileage in cars, the interstate highway system could be closed into tunnels with fans moving the air through the tunnel in the direction of traffic. As the air speed approaches the speed of the cars, gas mileage will approach a minimal value, thus greatly reducing emissions and consumption of fossil fuels. In order to power the fans and the lighting inside of the tunnel, solar panels will cover the tops of the tunnels. The excess power will be redirected towards major cities and used to further reduce dependency on fossil fuels, most notably coal and natural gas.
An Interstate Speed Tunnel is a concrete highway cover. Fans will propel the air within the tunnel at the same velocity as the traffic. These fans will also move air into and out of the tunnel to prevent buildup of harmful fumes. Electricity will be generated by solar panels covering the top
of the tunnel. Click HERE for more information.