Automated underground transportation of cargo - What is CargoCap?

Automated underground transportation of cargo
the 5th transportation alternative for the transport of goods
in congested urban areas
www.cargocap.com

W H At I S C A r G O C A P ?
the Problem
Barely 150 years ago, our ancestors were forced to
build an area-wide underground pipeline system to
collect and drain off sewage, in order to protect and
improve the general population’s health and quality of
life.
Today again we face a similar, essential decision on
the future direction. Again, the health of the population
is at risk. Germs causing cholera coming from the
sewage drained off above ground may be substituted
for exhaust gases (amongst others CO2 ...), particulate
matters and noise emissions from road vehicles; all
these are health hazards. Our quality of life is steadily
declining due to constantly increasing truck traffic,
impaired mobility as a result of overloaded roads, or
the inability to satisfy needs related to health, rest and
recreation that cannot be satisfied any longer in towns
and cities.
However, our modern economy based on division of
labour cannot work properly without effective transport
and logistics services. Especially in congested
urban areas, as e.g. the Ruhr area in Germany, traditionally
grown traffic infrastructures cannot meet the
increasing and changed transport service requirements.
Thus, new solutions are urgently required.
2

W H At I S C A r G O C A P ?
the present situation: the road as a transportation route
has reached the limit of its capacity. Serious traffi c jams and
delays combined with noise, emissions, or particulate matter
emissions and constitute a high risk potential.
the solution: goods are transported underground rather
than on the road, without the negative side effects of
truck traffi c.
underground into the Centre - Via CargoCap
CargoCap is the 5th transportation alternative to roads,
rails, water and air to transport goods fully automated
through underground transport pipeline systems in
congested urban areas rapidly, economically, reliably
and eco-friendly.
„Goods are transported underground
rather than on the road.“
Fully automated transport vehicles, the so-called
Caps, travel in underground pipelines with a diameter
of only 2.00 metres, loaded with two euro-pallets
each. For direct connection, the cargo will be delivered
directly to the recipient, or to the immediate vicinity of
a station by means of connection logistics with delivery
vehicles. Only these stations provide connection
to the surface. They may be located either right in the
city centres near huge stores, or immediately at the
assembly line of a factory.
Especially in congested urban areas, this serves to disburden
roads of increasing goods traffic and to reduce
environment-related problems without claiming landscape.
transport vehicles, so-called Caps, travel in underground
transport pipelines with a diameter of only
2.00 m.
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t H e t e C H N O LO GY O F C A r G O C A P
each Cap has a capacity of two euro-pallets according to
CCG1 with an extended load height of 1.25 m.
Installation of transport pipelines is carried out underground
by means of pipe jacking.
Logistics System
Due to its underground transport pipeline system,
CargoCap is independent of, and unaffected by, other
traffic infrastructure, traffic jams and weather conditions.
Transports are performed via computer-controlled
Caps with a holding capacity of two euro-pallets each.
The euro-pallet is a standardised, tried and tested load
carrier. Its use guarantees an easy implementation of
CargoCap into already existing supply chains. A high
freight- and allocation flexibility is warranted by loading
only two euro-pallets onto a Cap.
Consumer and investment items, bulk goods, cargo,
production components, building material, parcel and
express freight, as well as food and allied products
rank among the goods that may be transported via
CargoCap.
Construction of the transport Pipeline System
The route of the CargoCap system consists of pipelines
like those used to drain off sewage. The transport
pipelines are installed in public streets next to, under,
or above already existing supply and disposal lines,
electric cables, telecommunication cables, metro or
underground crossings, and other underground constructions.
As a general rule, the depth will be 6 to 8 m.
Installation of transport pipelines is carried out underground
by means of pipe jacking. This eco-friendly
method of construction for pipelines is one of the
standard techniques in pipeline construction, and
currently becoming more and more important due
to latest monitoring and control methods. The space
above ground required during construction is small.
Residents and traffi c are not disturbed. Damage to
adjacent constructions, trees, plant cover and pipelines
is avoided.
The transport pipelines will be equipped with tracks
for the Caps, contact-free energy supply, information
technology, as well as RFID transponders to locate the
Caps.
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t H e t e C H N O LO GY O F C A r G O C A P
Length
4000 mm
Width
1400 mm
Height
1600 mm
Weight empty
800 kg
Payload max.
1500 kg
Maximum speed
11 m/s (39,6 km/h)
Average speed
10 m/s (36 km/h)
Track gauge
800 mm
Slope max. 3%
Fully automated, horizontal conveyors load and unload Caps.
technical Specifi cations of the Caps
Vehicle technology
The aerodynamically optimised Caps travel on rails
through the underground transport pipeline system,
fully automated and autonomically.
They are driven by electric motors at a speed of 36
km/h. This transportation speed is kept constantly,
resulting in a considerable reduction of transport time
compared to a truck in the congested urban area.
Energy supply of Caps is contact-free, and therefore
maintenance-free.
In sections of the CargoCap transport network with
heavier traffic, several Caps are aligned to travel one
after another in close intervals (platoon). This is made
possible through an innovative switch concept and
special design of passive junctions. Caps feature an
active switch module and define the driving direction
autonomously.
Conveyor technique
Both underground stations and stations above ground
serve as a reloading point of palletised goods. They
may be located where reloading is carried out by
means of conventional traffic up to now, e.g. in hubs
on the outskirts of congested urban areas, or immediately
where the customer needs the goods.
Conventional conveyor technique is used to load and
unload goods. The roll conveyors available in the
vehicle directly connect to the roll conveyors of the
station. Then, vertical- or horizontal conveyors forward
the pallets straight to their destination, in an industrial
enterprise directly to the assembly line, or in a store
directly into the store or sales room, for example.
”In service, CargoCap does not
affect the environment through
noise or through emissions.”
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F u t u r e
“You cannot see, hear
or smell CargoCap.”
Advantages Operation
Automated
Eco-friendly
Energy-saving
Efficient
Flexible
Precise, just-in-time and just-in-case
Independent of weather conditions
Safe
99
Autonomous and independent of
scarce traffic capacities above ground
Feasibility Study
Due to overcrowded roads, the conventional supply
of the producing economy, trade and consumers is
only possible in connection with above-average and
time-dependent costs. Apart from positive effects
for the environment, a flexible, freely scaleable and
safe transport system creates possible savings for
logistics. According to the hitherto existing feasibility
studies, customers of CargoCap will profit from these
advantages, so there is an increased incentive to use
this innovative system. Already today, standardised
components and construction methods are used and
newly combined to install CargoCap, so that construction
and operating costs may be calculated reliably.
In determining the variables affecting net income, which
may only be estimated in the present market potential
analysis for the Ruhr area, conservative assumptions
are taken into consideration regarding relevant quantities
of goods, freight rates, future price developments,
or the selection of interesting types of goods.
Future synergy effects in case of network expansions
are not even taken into account yet.
Advantages Construction and Realisation
Immediately realisable
Expandable
Eco-friendly
Space-saving
Innovative
Legal Situation
The implementation of good ideas very often fails,
“especially in Germany”, due to legal reasons. Cargo-
Cap is an infrastructure project with a comparatively
low legal potential for conflict. As it is neither a road,
railway, power line, nor a pipeline project, none of the
existing requirements for official approval of plans
apply.
This means that neither the complex procedures nor
the challenging material criteria of planning law need
be considered. “Only” the general framework of space,
project planning, building regulations and environmental
law must be adhered to, and terms of use have to
be specified with the responsible coordinating construction
planning engineers, or with property owners
in individual cases. From a legal point of view, the infrastructure
project captivates not only as an idea, but
also because it is easy to implement.
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F u t u r e
Scientists of the ruhr university Bochum,
Germany test the new logistic system on a
160-metre model track.
„A great vision becomes reality“
Model track
A model track was built by the Chair for Machine Elements
and Materials Handling of the Ruhr University in
Bochum, Germany on a scale of 1:2 on the premises of
the RWE AG power plant in Bochum. This is a big step
towards a realisation of CargoCap.
A pilot operation comparable to real operation is
tested and optimised there. The experimental design
includes controlling, communicating, locating, as well
as headway control and the formation of transport
organisations inclusive of the switch technology of the
Caps and all relevant mechatronic aspects. The results
of the experiment form the basis for commissioning
CargoCap.
CargoCap –
the Green Goods transportation of the Future
Safeguarding goods traffi c is an essential general
requirement for the economic development of a region
suffering from serious traffi c-related problems. An
intensification of the situation is foreseeable in future.
A sustainable and economic mobility concept is only
possible with essentially new and innovative solutions.
In the process, its simple implementation into traditional
traffi c systems and logistics concepts is of
essential importance.
CargoCap meets these requirements and may be
used where hitherto applied systems have met their
performance limit. Furthermore, it is eco- and citizenfriendly
and can be implemented quickly, both from a
technical and a legal point of view.
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CargoCap is supported by
CargoCap was awarded
“Selected Landmark”
by the initiative
“Germany – Land of Ideas”
(www.land-of-ideas.org).
CargoCap belongs to the
„100 products of the future -
groundbreaking ideas that will
change our lives“
For more information please contact:
CargoCap GmbH
Konrad-Zuse-Str. 6
44801 Bochum
GERMANY
Phone: +49 234 5167-0
Fax: +49 234 5167-109
E-mail: office@cargocap.com
Internet: http://www.cargocap.com
www.cargocap.com